Department for Transport

Roads: Accidents

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the number of vehicle accidents in (a) 2014, (b) 2015 and (c) 2016 that involved vehicles with tyres over 10 years old.

Jesse Norman: The Department for Transport has not made a specific assessment of the age of tyres fitted to vehicles involved in collisions. Official statistics indicate where, in the opinion of the attending police officer, a tyre was illegal, defective or under inflated and may have contributed to the accident. In 2014, 2015 and 2016 there were respectively 714, 598 and 550 collisions where tyres were considered to be a contributory factor.The Department first issued guidance in 2013, which was subsequently updated, most recently in October 2016, recommending tyres over 10 years old should not be fitted to front steering axles, but only at the rear on twin wheels. A year after the guidance was published, a further survey of older PSVs was carried out by DVSA. This survey indicated a reduction in the average age of tyres fitted in the PSV fleet and demonstrated widespread compliance with the advice.

Electric Vehicles: Peterlee

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will provide funding for the installation of an electric vehicle rapid-charging point in Peterlee.

Jesse Norman: Highways England currently has a £15m programme to roll out rapid chargepoints at least every 20 miles along 95% of the strategic road network. As part of the Autumn Statement 2016, a further £80m was made available for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The Government intends to set out its plans for this funding as part of the Zero Emission Road Transport Strategy due to be published by March 2018.

Electric Vehicles: Easington

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points in the Easington constituency.

Jesse Norman: The Office for Low Emission Vehicles has a number of schemes in place to support the installation of electric vehicle chargepoints across the UK. The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme provides a grant of up to £500 to install chargepoints at domestic properties with access to offstreet parking. The Workplace charging scheme is available to businesses, charities, and public sector organisations to install chargepoints for their employees and fleets. A grant of £300 for each socket is available, up to a maximum of 20. Local authorities can apply for the Onstreet Residential Chargepoint Scheme which provides grant funding to install onstreet chargepoints for local residents that lack access to off-street parking, up to a maximum of £7,500 per chargepoint. The Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill, introduced on 18 October, includes powers to expand deployment of electric vehicle infrastructure across the UK, with requirements for provision at motorway service areas and large fuel retailers.

RAF Northolt: Aviation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will actively promote the use of RAF Northolt to facilitate UK regional air links to Heathrow Airport; and whether he has made an assessment of the effect on connectivity of using RAF Northolt to facilitate regional air links.

Mr John Hayes: I refer the Right Honourable Gentleman to the Airports Commission’s interim report of December 2013 conclusions on RAF Northolt.In addition, RAF Northolt is owned and operated by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and is primarily a military resource. Any policy decisions on expansion of civil aviation operations at the airfield are the responsibility of the RAF and the MOD.

Airports

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to define a strategic network of general aviation airfields.

Mr John Hayes: In January 2017 the then Aviation Minister asked the General and Business Aviation Strategic Forum what a strategic network of general aviation airfields might look like. In response the Forum recommended that he commission research in order to define such a network. That research is now being procured.

Railways: Hertfordshire

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made in extending the Oyster card zone to Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City and Welwyn North railway stations.

Paul Maynard: It is for train companies, working with local stakeholders and TfL, to bring forward proposals to extend the Oyster or Contactless Payment systems. The Department will consider proposals which are not commercially detrimental to its portfolio of rail franchises or which are otherwise supported by a strong business case. As the TfL system has been expanded it has become harder to strike a balance between the Oyster fares levels and those of the train operator. However, I am also pleased to say that the GTR franchise has committed to making its KeyGo pay-as-you-go product available for journeys made wholly on its network by the end of January 2018.

Taxis

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many private hire vehicles operate in a different local authority area from their area of registration in (a) the North West and (b) England and Wales; and what his policy is on such cross-border activity.

Mr John Hayes: The Department does not hold the information requested. At a Westminster Hall Debate on 5 July I announced the formation of a working group to consider any regulatory issues in the taxi and private hire vehicle sector and potential remedies. The group has been formed with a cross-section of interested parties, including representatives of licensing authorities, the trade, and drivers, among others. The group had its first meeting in September, and I have asked that it reports to me by early 2018.

Railways: Iron and Steel

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent guidance his Department has provided to Network Rail on the procurement of UK manufactured steel products in rail renewal upgrades and new infrastructure.

Paul Maynard: The Government’s guidance on the procurement of steel was published in November 2015 and subsequently updated in December 2016. This guidance has been fully adopted by the Department for Transport (DfT) for all in-scope projects. Within DfT steel is only purchased directly by Network Rail, and they source ninety-five percent of their steel from Scunthorpe. Both Highways England and High Speed Two Ltd procure steel through their respective supply chains.

Great Western Railway Line: Electrification

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date electrification of the Great Western mainline to Cardiff is expected to be completed.

Paul Maynard: Electrification to Cardiff is scheduled for completion by the end of Control Period 5.

Transport: Iron and Steel

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of how much falsified Kobe (a) steel, (b) aluminium and (c) copper has been used in the UK's transport infrastructure.

Mr John Hayes: The Department has yet to make an assessment on how much falsified Kobe (a) Steel, (b) aluminium and (c) copper has been used.

Ryanair

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of Ryanair's decision to cancel 11,000 flights on the capacity and resilience of the UK transport system.

Mr John Hayes: Mindful of the capacity and resilience of the UK transport system, we would expect that other airlines will have sufficient capacity to be able to accommodate those passengers who require alternative arrangements. The Government’s priority has been to ensure that Ryanair are fulfilling their obligations to passengers affected by their cancellations. It is for Ryanair to manage their scheduling, and we would expect them to properly compensate passengers if they are not able to operate a flight. The government has begun the process of developing a new aviation strategy for the UK, and through that process we will be exploring issues around capacity, resilience and the consumer experience of the aviation sector.

Taxis

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to update legislation governing the taxi and private hire industry; and if he will make a statement.

Mr John Hayes: At the request of the Department for Transport, the Law Commission undertook a comprehensive review of taxi and private hire regulation in England and Wales. Since this report the sector has undergone profound and rapid change. At a Westminster Hall Debate on 5 July I announced the formation of a working group to consider any regulatory issues and remedies, including the Commission’s recommendations. The group will report in the New Year.

Aviation: Egypt

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of changes to security made by the authorities at Sharm El Sheikh Airport.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic effect on the UK of the current ban on flights from the UK to Sharm El Sheikh.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria he will use to determine whether to lift the ban on flights from the UK to Sharm El Sheikh.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support his Department has provided to the Egyptian authorities for improving security at Sharm El Sheikh Airport.

Mr John Hayes: The Department for Transport conducts expert assessments on aviation security at overseas airports. We do not assess the impact on the tourism and airline industries of any restrictions on flights. However, I fully recognise that Egypt is an important partner for the UK, with British businesses both serving the resort, as well as delivering a sizeable contribution to Egypt’s economy more widely. UK aviation security experts have worked closely with their Egyptian counterparts, sharing their expertise in establishing effective security arrangements. However, it is long standing government policy not to comment in detail on security matters. We continue to work in a spirit of partnership, and are grateful for Egypt's close engagement and cooperation. We look forward to achieving the return of flights once we can be assured that the necessary security environment can be sustained.

Cardiff Central Station

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Written Statement of 20 July 2017, HCWS 160, on rail infrastructure funding: 2009-24, what discussions he has had with the (a) Welsh Assembly and (b) Network Rail on his pledge for station improvements at Cardiff station.

Paul Maynard: The Secretary of State has regular discussions on a variety of matters with the Welsh Government and Network Rail. I note that Network Rail have already recently completed significant improvement works at Cardiff Central station to help it manage increased passenger demand.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Trade Associations

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations his Department has made to the two accredited trade associations on the practice of credit clamping.

Mr Marcus Jones: My Department has made no formal representations on this matter.We have set out a clear manifesto commitment to tackle rougue private parking operators. This Government is taking steps to tackle unfair practices by private parking operators, including banning of wheel clamping and towing.We welcome Sir Greg Knight's Private Member's Bill that seeks to create an independent code of practice for private parking companies. We look forward to reading Sir Greg Knight's recommendations.

Department for Communities and Local Government: Procurement

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what records his Department keeps on the delivery of projects of a value in excess of £10,000.

Mr Marcus Jones: Departmental policy requires that a business case must be prepared for all projects in excess of £10,000. Project delivery is monitored by individual Project Managers, in line with delegated authorities, and progress recorded and reported through appropriate departmental governance structures.

Housing Starts

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many housing starts there were in (a) May, (b) June, (c) July and (d) August 2017.

Alok Sharma: Estimates of new build dwellings starts for England and in each local authority district, to June Quarter 2017, are shown in Live Table 253a at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-buildingData are collected as quarterly totals from local authorities and independent approved inspectors, so monthly estimates are not available centrally. Data for the September Quarter 2017 is scheduled for publication on the 30 November 2017.These cover new build dwellings only. The Department also publishes an annual release entitled ‘Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England’, which is the primary and most comprehensive measure of the total change in housing supply. These figures are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/housing-supply-net-additional-dwellings-england-2015-to-2016

Radicalism

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information his Department has provided directly to the public to help it understand the threat from extremism and to promote integration; and whether such information has been made available in languages other than English.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Home Office leads on Counter-Extremism policy within Government. My Department leads on integration and has published 'Creating the Conditions for Integration' in February 2012, which set out the Government 's approach to integration.On 5 December 2016, Dame Louise Casey published her independent report: 'A Review into Opportunity and Integration'. Since then my Department has been reviewing the available evidence on the main causes of poor integration.In the coming months we will bring forward plans for tackling these issues through a new integration strategy.

Department for Communities and Local Government: Official Hospitality

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his Department's (a) catering and (b) hospitality budget was in (i) 2015, (ii) 2016 and (iii) 2017.

Mr Marcus Jones: My Department has no separate budget for catering and hospitality.I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 69215 on 25 April 2017. Spending figures for catering and hospitality for the period 2016-17 amounted to £9,822, down from £456,142 in 2009-10.

Department for Communities and Local Government: Staff

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of his Department's staff excluding non-departmental public bodies were (a) women in top management posts, (b) women, (c) black and minority ethnic and (d) disabled in the last period for which figures are available.

Mr Marcus Jones: The information below is current as of 30 September 2017.Women in Top posts (Senior Civil Service Grade):1. 50 (54.9 per cent) FemaleWhole of DCLG1. 779 (51.1 per cent) Female2. 206 (18.6 per cent) BAME*3. 82 (7.4 per cent) Disabled**percentage figures for BAME and Disabled do not include employees who have not declared their status.

Department for Communities and Local Government: Computer Software

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much his Department spent on software licences in (a) 2015, (b) 2016 and (c) 2017.

Mr Marcus Jones: Departmental records show the following expenditure by financial years on software licenses:Financial yearSpend (inc VAT)2014-15£230,0002015-16£306,0002016-17£762,000 There has been significant investment in software licenses associated with the development of major business applications, in particular:E-Claims, which supports the administration of the European Regional Development fund and European Social FundDELTA, which rationalises the Department’s key data collection and grant administration systemsCORE, which collects social housing sales and lettings dataTroubled Families (TFAM), which supports a key DCLG policy helping over 400,000 familiesFair Chance Fund (FCF), which supports a £15 million programme to move the hardest to help homeless people off the streets and into employment where possible.

Airports: Planning Permission

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to include protection for airfields in the National Planning Policy Framework.

Alok Sharma: The National Planning Policy Framework recognises the significant contribution that aviation makes to economic growth. It requires local authorities, when preparing their Local Plans, to take account of the role of airfields in meeting business, leisure, training and emergency service needs. Planning guidance supporting the Framework makes clear local authorities should consider the interconnectivity between airfields of different sizes and that they should have regard to the Aviation Policy Framework.

Housing: Sales

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the number of new houses sold as leasehold properties in each of the last five years.

Alok Sharma: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Local Government: Devolution

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which areas the Government is holding active discussions with on further devolution in England.

Jake Berry: Holding answer received on 24 October 2017



We are in active discussion with city region mayors to understand the areas where they would like to undertake further work with Government. We are also engaging with other areas to understand where there is a strong case for devolution.

Social Services: Finance

Thelma Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding his Department has allocated to adult social care in (a) Kirklees, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) England in each of the last seven years.

Mr Marcus Jones: Local authorities' expenditure on services, including on Adult Social Care for previous years, can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing  Councils have also been able to add a precept for adult social care onto their council tax, which most of them have done.   Local authority expenditure is funded through a range of income sources including government grants, council tax, business rates and fees and charges. Many government grants are not ring-fenced, leaving local authorities to determine how much is spent on different services.   However, the Government has provided specific funding to councils for adult social care in recent years, most noticeably through the improved Better Care Fund which was supplemented by the additional £2 billion announced at Spring Budget 2017. Details of individual council allocations of the Spring Budget funding can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-allocations-of-the-additional-funding-for-adult-social-care  Details of the original improved Better Care Fund allocations along with the potential revenue from the precept (as announced at SR15) can be found with core spending power tables published with the LGFS - www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2017-to-2018.

Homelessness

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of homelessness in (a) Liverpool, (b) Liverpool City Region, (c) the North West and (d) England; and if he will make a statement.

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the number of people who were homeless in (a) Liverpool Walton constituency, (b) Liverpool, (c) Liverpool City Region, (d) the North West and (e) England in each year from 2005 to date.

Mr Marcus Jones: DCLG publishes regular statistics on rough sleeping, statutory homelessness and homelessness prevention and relief in England. These are published at a local authority level.The latest statistics can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics.The Government remains committed to reducing homelessness and rough sleeping. No one should ever have to sleep rough. That is why we are aiming to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminate it altogether by 2027. To achieve this, we will set up a new homelessness reduction taskforce that will focus on prevention and affordable housing, and we will pilot a Housing First approach to tackle entrenched rough sleeping.We are also implementing in April 2018 the most ambitious legislative reform in decades, the Homelessness Reduction Act, which will ensure that more people get the help they need earlier to prevent them from becoming homeless in the first place.

Supported Housing: Finance

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to publish his new policy on funding for supported housing.

Mr Marcus Jones: Developing a workable and sustainable funding model for supported housing is a priority for the Government. We will set out next steps shortly.

High Rise Flats

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of residential buildings over 30 metres high which are owned or managed by a council or housing association.

Alok Sharma: Holding answer received on 24 October 2017



The Building Safety Programme has identified council and housing association owned residential buildings over 18 metres with Aluminium Composite Material cladding. The latest figures can be found on the Building Safety Programme webpage:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/building-safety-programme.We are using the 18 metre threshold because Building Regulations guidance on fire safety is more stringent for buildings above that height, reflecting the additional complexities of fire fighting and protecting residents from fire in taller buildings.

Department for Communities and Local Government: Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether any policy of administrative aims and objectives set out in his Department's single departmental plan for 2015 to 2020 are no longer the aims or objectives of his Department.

Mr Marcus Jones: Following the General Election, HM Treasury and Cabinet Office Ministers have agreed that Single Departmental Plans (SDPs) will continue to provide the framework for medium-term business planning and performance management. The Government intends to update SDPs later this year.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Energy: Mobile Homes

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what financial support is available for pensioners living in park homes to assist with the costs of implementing energy efficiency measures.

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to improve energy efficiency for pensioners living in park homes.

Claire Perry: Park homes are eligible for energy efficiency improvements under the Energy Company Obligation, which is worth £640m per year. Within this envelope, support was re-balanced from April 2017 towards the Affordable Warmth element, with an increased focus on tackling fuel poverty and supporting those on low incomes and vulnerable to cold.Government has also taken action to ensure that financial support is available to park home residents through the Warm Home Discount Scheme. The scheme, now in its third year enables park home residents who pay for their electricity through their park or as part of their pitch fees to apply for a £140 rebate on their energy bill.In addition, all pensioner households, including those living in park homes, receive £100-£300 through the Winter Fuel Payment and Government is also bringing an end to high energy prices by putting in place a price cap on standard variable and default tariffs.

Manufacturing Industries: North West

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support manufacturers in the North West.

Claire Perry: We are working with UK industry to create the right conditions for competitive, world leading manufacturing businesses to flourish and grow across the UK. We are supporting all UK manufacturers by cutting business taxes, slashing red tape and investing in new scientific infrastructure on a record scale. Through our Industrial Strategy, we will make sure that we are using all the tools we have to stimulate growth in places such as the North West. That means using our record investments in infrastructure to unlock growth in every part of the country; using the major new investment in research to support innovative manufacturing businesses across the country; and encouraging inward investment into the parts of the country where we need to get growth going faster.Over the past few years, we have invested over £1.5 billion through the Local Growth Fund, in the North West for projects to boost local economies and the Regional Growth Fund that supports eligible projects and programmes raising private sector investment to create economic growth and lasting employment, has since its launch in 2010, resulted in over 46,000 jobs being contracted, of which 21,426 are in manufacturing.

Driverless Vehicles: Employment

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on employment of the introduction of autonomous vehicles.

Claire Perry: Technological progress has often resulted in shifts in the labour market, and the rise of automation is an example of such a shift.We believe that new opportunities will be opened up by connected and autonomous vehicle technologies: For example, new high-skilled jobs will be created in their development: we have estimated that the domestic market for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) alone will be worth £28bn by 2035, and that production of CAVs and CAV technologies in the UK will support over 27,000 jobs. 70% of the jobs relating to CAV technology are estimated to be in highly-skilled professional and technical roles in software-related industries. In addition, there will be significant social and economic benefits, which we believe will be a net gain to society, including access to jobs and social inclusion for those that currently find it difficult to get around.We are engaging in a broad programme of research, development, demonstration, including exploring the full range of social and behavioural impacts of this technology.

Energy: Rented Housing

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that landlords do not avoid compliance with the minimum energy standards for rented homes.

Claire Perry: The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and wales) Regulations 2015 require that, subject to certain exemptions, domestic and non-domestic private rented sector landlords improve their properties to a minimum energy efficiency rating of E from April 2018.The Department has recently published guidance to assist landlords of domestic property in complying with their obligations under the regulations, and has commenced discussions with Local Authorities to support them in fulfilling their enforcement duties. The Department has also launched a landlord exemptions register, a requirement of the Regulations, which will be used by enforcement authorities to help target their enforcement activities.

Energy: Rented Housing

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2017 to Question 8878, whether the Government plans to introduce regulations to require that rental properties are of a higher energy efficiency standard than E.

Claire Perry: As set out in the Clean Growth Strategy, the Government will be looking at a long term trajectory for energy performance standards across the private rented sector, with the aim of as many private rented homes as possible being upgraded to EPC Band C by 2030, where practical, cost effective and affordable. We will consider options with a view to consulting in 2018.

Electric Vehicles: Grants

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many grants have been awarded to the owners of electric and hybrid vehicles.

Claire Perry: From January 2011 to the end of June 2017 more than 100,000 purchasers of ultra low emission cars have received support from the plug-in car grant (currently up to £4,500) and more than 3,000 purchasers of ultra low emission vans have received up to £8,000 support from the plug-in van grant. Since its launch last year the plug-in motorcycle grant has also supported the purchase of a small number of zero emission motorcycles. In addition more than 37,000 installations of domestic chargepoints have been supported by the electric vehicle homecharge scheme since September 2014.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has estimated of the amount of coal that will be needed to manufacture the steel needed to construct High Speed 2; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry: The Department has not undertaken an analysis of the amount of coal that will be needed to manufacture the steel needed to construct High Speed 2.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has estimated of the amount of coal that will be needed to manufacture the cement needed to construct High Speed 2; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry: The Department has not undertaken an analysis of the amount of coal that will be needed to manufacture the cement needed to construct High Speed 2.

Fuel Poverty: Greater London

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many households in the (a) London Borough of Enfield, (b) Enfield North constituency and (c) Greater London area spend more than 10 per cent of their income on fuel bills.

Claire Perry: In England, approximately 2.36 million households spent more than 10 per cent of their full income on fuel bills in 2015. This is around 10.4 per cent of all households. In London, approximately 0.30 million households (8.9 per cent), spent more than 10 per cent of their full income on fuel bills. Data is only available at the regional level and is not broken down further to Local Authority level.Fuel poverty is based on the low income high costs (LIHC) indicator. In 2015, around 2.50 million households were in fuel poverty. This is around 11.0 per cent of all households. In the London Borough of Enfield, 11,300 households (9.3 per cent) were considered fuel poor. In the Enfield North constituency, 3,500 households (8.6 per cent) were considered fuel poor. In London, 335,200 households (10.1 per cent) were considered fuel poor.These figures are based on the fuel poverty dataset. The methodology for this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuel-poverty-statistics-methodology-handbookThe sub-regional figures can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sub-regional-fuel-poverty-data-2017This is based on data the English Housing Survey which is run by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The methodology for this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/english-housing-survey-guidance-and-methodology

BAE Systems: Redundancy

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that skills in the defence manufacturing industry are retained across the Solent area following the announcement of proposed job losses at BAE Systems.

Claire Perry: BAE Systems remains a crucial industrial partner in supporting the Royal Navy in the Solent area. The Government is working with BAE Systems, Local Authorities, the Local Enterprise Partnership, and Talent Retention Solutions (TRS) to ensure that we retain vital engineering and manufacturing skills in the UK.

BAE Systems: Redundancy

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on what date the Government was first made aware of plans of the latest round of job losses at BAE Systems.

Claire Perry: BAE Systems officially confirmed their plans for company restructuring and potential job reductions on 6 October 2017. The proposals remain subject to Trades Union consultation and no final decisions have yet been taken. The Government will continue to work closely with the company to understand the impact of these potential reductions, to provide support to those who might be affected, and to maximise export opportunities for the Typhoon and Hawk training aircraft.

BAE Systems: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in Warrington in the supply chain for BAE Systems.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 16 October 2017



BAE Systems supply chain is spread across the UK and overseas. We are working with BAE Systems to understand the potential impacts of their 10th October announcement on their direct employees and those in the supply chain. Any employees affected will be offered advice and support by the Department of Work and Pensions’ Rapid Response Service.

Fuel Poverty

Mr Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many households in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK spent more than 10 per cent of their income on fuel bills in each of the last five years.

Claire Perry: In England, approximately 2.36 million households spent more than 10 per cent of their full income on fuel bills in 2015. This is around 10.4 per cent of all households. In the North East, approximately 0.15 million households (13.3 per cent), spent more than 10 per cent of their full income on fuel bills. Data is only available at the regional level and is not broken down further to Local Authority level.Fuel poverty is based on the low income high costs (LIHC) indicator. Data is for England rather than the UK. The number and proportion of households in fuel poverty for the requested areas can be seen in the table below.  Jarrow ConstituencySouth TynesideNorth EastEngland2015Number of households4,5008,400151,9002,502,000Proportion (%)11.912.313.311.02014Number of households4,1008,000139,5002,379,000Proportion (%)10.811.812.210.62013Number of households3,9007,600134,9002,347,000Proportion (%)10.511.311.810.42012Number of households3,8007,200129,0002,360,000Proportion (%)10.411.011.610.82011Number of households3,7007,100141,7002,433,000Proportion (%)9.410.212.411.1 These figures are based on the fuel poverty dataset. The methodology for this can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuel-poverty-statistics-methodology-handbookThe sub-regional figures can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sub-regional-fuel-poverty-data-2017This is based on data the English Housing Survey which is run by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The methodology for this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/english-housing-survey-guidance-and-methodology.

Cost of Energy Independent Review

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the document entitled Professor Dieter Helm - declaration of interest, published by his Department on 6 August 2017 in relation to the Cost of Energy Review, whether Professor Helm drafted that document.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 17 October 2017



No. The declaration of interest was published in accordance with well-established principles for transparency and accountability, typical of this kind of independent review.

Cost of Energy Independent Review

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the document entitled Professor Dieter Helm - declaration of interest, published by his Department on 6 August 2017 in relation to the Cost of Energy Review, whether restrictions on Professor Helm's activities in relation to the Review were imposed by or agreed with his Department.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 17 October 2017



The declaration of interest was agreed in accordance with well-established principles for transparency and accountability, typical of this kind of independent review.

Cost of Energy Independent Review

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the document entitled Professor Dieter Helm - declaration of interest, published by his Department on 6 August 2017 in relation to the Cost of Energy Review, whether that document is a declaration of interest by Professor Helm.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 17 October 2017



 Yes.

Manufactured Goods: Import Duties

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect on UK manufacturing of the UK unilaterally removing all import tariffs after the UK leaves the EU.

Claire Perry: The Government is working to deliver the best international trading framework for the UK. We are working with other Departments to assess the full range of options for a future tariff regime that will best serve the interests of UK consumers, businesses and farmers. The evidence available will be considered carefully before a final decision is made.

Energy Intensive Industries

Gill Furniss: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to discuss industrial decarbonisation and energy efficiency action plans with the leaders of the seven most energy intensive industries.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 17 October 2017



The joint government-industry Industrial Decarbonisation and Energy Efficiency Roadmap Action Plans for seven energy intensive sectors were published on 12 October 2017, alongside the Clean Growth Strategy. The Action Plans set out voluntary commitments from industry, government and third parties to enable the sectors to decarbonise and improve their energy efficiency, and provide a framework for continued government-industry joint working on decarbonisation and energy efficiency matters.

Industry

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what criteria the Government used to decide (a) how much should be allocated to different sectors through the industrial strategy and (b) which sectors should be granted a sector deal.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 19 October 2017



Sector Deals are an open challenge to industry to come to Government with proposals to transform and upgrade productivity, earning power and investment in their sector. We are prepared to work with any sector which can organise behind strong leadership to address shared challenges and opportunities. Sector deals are open to both established and emerging industries, and to sectors of all sizes. The Government will respond positively to compelling propositions if they can demonstrate how specific actions from Government and from businesses will improve the competitiveness of the sector in question.

Business: Local Government

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect on productivity of local council business support programmes.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 19 October 2017



Government has supported and invested in the creation of a network of 38 Growth Hubs (one in each Local Enterprise Partnership area), providing businesses across England with tailored advice and support. Growth Hubs simplify the business support landscape by bringing together all of the organisations involved in the provision of business support (including those delivered by local councils) and provide a local ‘single point of contact.’ Whilst Growth Hubs aim to improve awareness, coordination and take-up of local and national business support, it is local and combined authorities who are responsible for evaluating these programmes and reporting on outcomes to funders. However, the Honourable Member might like to note that we are funding the What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth and the Enterprise Research Centre to improve the quality of local evaluations and to investigate impacts of business support at a national level. Of the 23 high quality evaluations reviewed so far, 17 found positive programme impacts on at least one business outcome

Vauxhall Motors: Working Hours

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with PSA on the reduction of the number of shifts at the Vauxhall car plant at Ellesmere Port.

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which members of PSA senior management he has met since the announcement of the reduction in the number of shifts at the Vauxhall car plant at Ellesmere Port.

Claire Perry: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given today to Question UIN 107951.

Vauxhall Motors: Redundancy

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to ensure jobs are available of equivalent skills for workers who lose their jobs at Vauxhall Ellesmere Port.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 19 October 2017



The Department for Work and Pensions’ will provide advice and support to those affected and the Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response Service will help workers get back into employment as soon as possible. With many of the people working in the plant living in across the border in Wales, the Welsh Government also stands ready to support.We will work with the company and Unite Union to consider how the Talent Retention Scheme can help ensure that workforce skills are not lost to the industry.

Vauxhall Motors: Exchange Rates

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect on manufacturing costs at Vauxhall Ellesmere Port of changes in the exchange rate since the referendum on the UK's membership of the EU.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 19 October 2017



The company has said that the planned job reductions link to reduced vehicle sales and therefore production requirements. Exchange rate changes will affect individual companies such as Vauxhall in often complex ways. The Government has a range of policies in place to support the competitiveness of the UK business environment.

Vauxhall Motors: Redundancy

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with (a) businesses and (b) representatives of the Vauxhall Ellesmere Port supply chain workforce on job losses at that plant.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 19 October 2017



I refer to the Statement that I made to this House on Monday 16 October, Official Report, column 600, about the developments at Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port site. Ultimately this is a commercial decision taken by Vauxhall. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, together with other Ministers and officials have had numerous conversations with the senior management of Vauxhall, its parent group PSA and as well as conversations with the local council, Local Enterprise Partnership management and the General Secretary of Unite on the day of the announcement.

Industry

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to whom businesses developing sector deals as part of the industrial strategy should submit their proposals.

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many sectors have responded to his open door challenge and are negotiating a sector deal as part of the industrial strategy with his Department.

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to provide guidance to businesses on (a) the process, (b) the expectations and (c) the sign-off procedures for creating sector deals as part of the industrial strategy.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 19 October 2017



Sector Deals are an open challenge to industry to come to Government with proposals to transform productivity, earning power and investment in their sector. We are prepared to work with any sector which can organise behind strong leadership to address shared challenges and opportunities. The business community is best placed to identify what firms really need. Government will be there to support them Since the launch of the Industrial Strategy consultation in January over sixty sectors have expressed interest in a Sector Deal, many of which are working up detailed proposals to submit to Government. Sectors should work with their sponsor Departments when developing proposals and can submit them directly to the Industrial Strategy Unit at BEIS at sectordeals@beis.gov.uk.

Manufacturing Industries

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the implications for the future of the UK manufacturing sector of the most recent foreign direct investment figures published by the Office for National Statistics.

Claire Perry: Manufacturing makes a significant contribution to the UK economy accounting for 10% of GVA (£177bn) and 49% of exports (£270bn). Exports of goods to the BRICS group of countries have more than doubled to £29bn since 2007 when this figure was £12.8bn. Manufacturing output in the UK increased by 0.4% from July to August 2017 and by 2.8% over the year from August 2016 to August 2017.It may be helpful to point out that foreign direct investment (FDI) flow data can be very volatile, influenced by a small number of large value mergers and acquisitions. For example, the strong rise in the value of outward FDI in 2017 Second Quarter can largely be attributed to one exceptionally high-value transaction: Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc of the UK who acquired Mead Johnson Nutrition Company of the USA[1].We are ensuring that the UK is an attractive place to start, maintain and grow a manufacturing business:Corporation tax will be cut to 19% in 2017 and 17% in 2020 – the lowest rate in the G20. This will benefit over a million businesses both large and small.At Budget 2016 we announced the biggest ever cut in business rates in England worth £6.7bn over 5 years, meaning 600,000 of the smallest businesses won’t have to pay business rates again.An increase in the permanent level of the Annual Investment Allowance from £25,000 to £200,000 from 1 January 2016. This will be maintained for the rest of the Parliament, providing certainty and incentivising investment in plant and machinery. 85% of the value of AIA will go to SMEs.100% first year capital allowances in enterprise zones extended for three years to 31 March 2020. [1] http://www.meadjohnson.com/news/press-releases/mead-johnson-nutrition-merger-reckitt-benckiser-completed

BAE Systems: Redundancy

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of BAE Systems job losses, announced in October 2017, on the UK's capacity to produce aircraft and aviation systems.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 20 October 2017



Final decisions have not yet been taken on BAE Systems’ consultation on transforming its business. However the Government remains engaged with BAE Systems to understand the impact of the potential job reductions, and to ensure that vital skills are maintained.This Government recognises the strength and capability of the UK's aerospace sector. We have a substantial programme of work underway through the Defence Growth Partnership, which is identifying opportunities to encourage growth and competitiveness of the UK defence sector. Taken alongside the Future Combat Air Systems Technology Initiative, this will maintain and enhance the UK's position as a global leader in combat air technologies.

Fuel Poverty: Glasgow East

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of households in Glasgow East constituency which spend more than 10 per cent of their income on fuel bills.

Claire Perry: The issue of fuel poverty is a devolved matter, and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does not hold data on constituencies in Scotland.

Energy: Housing

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what grants and other financial support are available to help sick and terminally ill people improve home energy efficiency and replace inefficient boilers.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 23 October 2017



The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is an obligation on energy suppliers, worth £640m per year, under which households in Great Britain are eligible to receive subsidised or free energy efficiency measures including boilers. From April 2017, an element of the scheme has been established under which local authorities can refer households for support. Local authorities can, for example, refer people based on their vulnerability and health conditions.The Warm Home Discount (WHD) scheme, worth over £320m per year, provides direct financial assistance to over 2 million low income and vulnerable households each winter. Ofgem is currently consulting on introducing a price cap for WHD recipients on standard variable and default tariffs. In addition, the Government has published draft legislation to cap the prices paid by customers on standard variable and default tariffs, many of whom are vulnerable.

Kobe Steel

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to ensure that businesses and consumers across the UK are notified about any safety issues arising from the recent Kobe Steel scandal.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 23 October 2017



If a safety issue is identified with a product already on the market, the relevant market surveillance authority will ensure that product safety is enforced working with manufacturers to take action which may include a recall, where appropriate.We understand a number of sector-specific bodies have responded to the news about Kobe Steel’s activities to understand potential impacts across their sectors. This includes the Vehicle Certification Agency working with the manufacturers that hold VCA approvals and the British Constructional Steel Association working across the UK’s construction sector.

Hinkley Point C Power Station: Radioactive Materials

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions Ministers or officials of his Department have had with National Resources Wales and Welsh Government Ministers on the proposal for the removal of radioactively contaminated mud from the Hinkley Point C site to be disposed of at Cardiff Grounds.

Richard Harrington: Licensing for marine disposal of sediments around the South Wales coastline is a devolved matter for Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government. Nuclear safety and environmental protection are of paramount importance to the UK Government. The UK has a strong regulatory system and companies involved in the civil nuclear industry are required to meet robust standards overseen by independent regulators.

Renewable Energy

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support (a) tidal energy, (b) other forms of renewable energy as part of a broader strategy to decrease the UK's dependence on fossil fuels.

Richard Harrington: Steps taken to support (a) tidal energyTidal stream projects will be eligible to compete in the next CfD auction, currently planned for spring 2019. However, as the Clean Growth Strategy makes clear, these technologies will need to demonstrate how they can compete with other forms of generation.The Government is making progress on assessing the Hendry Review into tidal lagoons. The issues are complex as they relate to an untried technology in the marine environment and a time when other renewable energy costs are reducing rapidly. The Government will publish its response to the review in due course.Steps taken to support (b) other forms of renewable energy as part of a broader strategy to decrease the UK's dependence on fossil fuels.In 2016, renewables share of total generation was nearly 25% of UK electricity generation, and we are on track to meet our ambition of delivering 30% of the UK’s electricity from renewables in 2020-21.The latest Contracts for Difference round announced on 11 September secured a further 3.3GW of renewable electricity, enough to power 3.6 million homes.This will see a saving of 5.4 million tonnes of carbon a year, the equivalent of the average annual carbon emissions from 2.8 million cars.The Clean Growth Strategy, published on 12 October, sets out the Government's plans to decarbonise the UK economy through the 2020s and beyond and includes:£557 million being made available for less established renewable electricity projects. The next Contracts for Difference auction is planned for spring 2019.Spending on the Renewable Heat Incentive schemes will rise from £430 million in 2015-16 to £1.15 billion in 2020-21, and following the recent government consultation the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation level will be increasing to 9.75% in 2020, rising to 12.4% in 2032.

Carbon Emissions

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress is being made on meeting the fifth carbon budget.

Claire Perry: The Clean Growth Strategy, published on 12 October, sets out the Government's plans to decarbonise the UK economy through the 2020s and beyond, building on our successful record to date. It includes ambitious proposals on housing, business, transport, natural resources and the public sector.

Fuel Poverty

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much additional funding is required to deliver the 2030 fuel poverty target set out in the Clean Growth Plan; and how he plans to secure that additional funding.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to fund the actions required to meet the (a) 2035 all homes target, (b) 2030 private rented sector target and (c) 2030 social housing target, as set out in the Clean Growth Strategy.

Claire Perry: The Clean Growth Strategy, and publications alongside that document, set out details on how domestic energy performance improvements could be financed from a range of both private and public sources.In the Strategy, the Government committed to extend support for home energy efficiency out to 2028 at least as the current levels of ECO funding (£640m per annum), and review the best form of support beyond 2022 recognising the need to both save carbon and meet the Government’s commitment to upgrade all fuel poor homes to EPC Band C by 2030. Government will be considering a range of further options for tackling fuel poverty and the proposals on home energy efficiency standards in the Strategy will be relevant,In addition, the Government has regulated to require that all residential lettings from April 2018 must meet a minimum standard of Energy Performance Certificate Band E, and committed to consult on raising standards in future, with a view to reaching Band C by 2030.Following the sale of the Green Deal Finance Company, the Government has published a call for evidence on how to reform and streamline the Green Deal framework to make the “Pay as You Save” system more accessible to businesses, while ensuring adequate protection for consumers. The Government has also announced the creation of a Green Finance Taskforce to provide recommendations on delivery of the public and private investment we need to meet the ambitions set out in the Clean Growth StrategyTargeted financial incentives and price signals could play a role in encouraging action by home owners. The Government has published a call for evidence on additional measures to encourage energy performance improvements, focussed particularly on home owners. This seeks views on a range of ideas (e.g. low interest loans, equity loans, conditional mortgages) put forward by stakeholders to encourage action. We will publish a response to this evidence and ideas in 2018, laying out a plan of action.The Government is also working with mortgage lenders to incorporate energy efficiency into their lending decisions, alongside developing innovative “green mortgage” products.

Energy: Coventry South

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of energy customers in Coventry South constituency who are on (a) standard variable and (b) default tariffs.

Margot James: The Department collects data from energy companies by public electricity supplier (PES) regions; data is not available by parliamentary constituency. In the West Midlands, 61% of gas and electricity customers are estimated to be on variable tariffs.

Modern Working Practices Review

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2017 to Question 106377, on Modern Working Practices Review, if he will publish the organisations and individuals that attended meetings with officials of his Department between 30 November 2016 and 11 July 2017.

Margot James: Further to my previous written answer to Question 106377 on the number of meetings held by officials in the Department on the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices, we do not hold a complete and comprehensive list of the organisations and individuals that attended meetings with officials of the Department between 30 November 2016 and 11 July 2017, and therefore are unable to publish one.

Hinkley Point C Power Station

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what guidance his Department has issued to EDF Energy on removal of radioactively contaminated mud from around Hinkley associated with the Hinkley Point C project.

Richard Harrington: Nuclear safety and environmental protection are of paramount importance to the UK Government. The UK has a strong regulatory system and companies involved in the civil nuclear industry are required to meet robust standards overseen by independent regulators. The Environment Agency in England and Natural Resources Wales are responsible for licensing, as appropriate, and for enforcing compliance with environmental standards for the operations referred to in relation to Hinkley Point C.

Glass: Manufacturing Industries

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with representatives of glass manufacturers on the effect of the renewables obligation and feed-in-tariff compensation on equity and competitiveness in the glass manufacturing market.

Richard Harrington: My noble Friend Lord Prior of Brampton, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, met with representatives of the glass manufacturing sector on the 7th March. Officials have regular discussions with representatives of the glass manufacturers sector to discuss the renewables obligation and feed-in-tariff compensation including its effect on equity and competitiveness.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Tunisia

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to visit Tunisia following the lifting of the travel ban.

Alistair Burt: There was no ‘travel ban’ to Tunisia. The purpose of FCO Travel Advice is to give people the best information possible in making their own decisions about travelling overseas. The change in the Travel advice for Tunisia in July 2017, no longer advising against all but essential travel to most of the country, was based on a robust assessment of the evidence of the risks faced by British nationals and improvements in security.I visited Tunisia in August. The Foreign Secretary has also visited Tunisia twice this year on official business, most recently in August, and looks forward to doing so again in the future.

Al Qaeda

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contribution the UK is making to degrading Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in the Gulf.

Alistair Burt: We are working with countries across the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf to reduce the threat from Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. Conflict, including that in Yemen, allows terrorist organisations to establish themselves and spread their message of violence and extremism. We continue to work with our partners, including those in the Gulf, to deny terrorist organisations the space in which to operate. We are also playing a major role in supporting a resolution of the conflict to further reduce risks to the UK.

Burma: Rohingya

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will support EU sanctions against Myanmar's military leaders in response to their role in the Rohingya crisis.

Mark Field: ​The EU already has in place sanctions on the Burmese military in the form of an arms embargo. This prevents the export of arms and equipment that could be used for internal repression. The UK has been a strong supporter within the EU of the continuing renewal of the arms embargo.The Foreign Secretary represented the UK at the 16 October meeting of the EU's Foreign Affairs Council. At this meeting, the EU announced the suspension of visits by the Commander-in-Chief of Burma's armed forces and other senior Burmese military officers, and a review of all practical defence cooperation. This followed the UK's lead in suspending co-operation with the Burmese military announced by the Prime Minister in September. The Council also retained the option of considering additional measures against the Burmese military if the situation in Rakhine did not improve.The UK will continue to work actively with partners to ensure the EU continues to contribute to international pressure on Burma's military.

USA: Foreign Relations

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart in bilateral co-operation on foreign and security policy.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Foreign Secretary regularly speaks to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to continue our strong bilateral co-operation on foreign and security policy. They last spoke on 9 October, when they discussed a range of issues including the Iran nuclear deal. The Foreign Secretary last met Secretary Tillerson on 14 September for a bilateral discussion during his visit to London.

Yemen: Military Intervention

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Saudi Government on lifting the blockade of Yemeni ports and airports.

Alistair Burt: There are a number of measures in place to prevent the flow of arms into Yemen in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2216, including the UN Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (UNVIM) which the UK fully supports. In line with the UK-sponsored UN Security Council Presidential Statement, agreed on 15 June, the Government is engaged in efforts to increase commercial and humanitarian shipments through Yemeni ports and airports. We are discussing short-term options to improve port infrastructure in Al Hudaydah and other ports with regional countries, the US and the UN, including cranes, inspection and improving commercial access. We are also monitoring port capacity across the country. We continue to push for increased access to Sana’a Airport for lifesaving humanitarian supplies and movement of urgent humanitarian cases. We call on all parties to respect these clear demands from the international community.

South Sudan: Arms Trade

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Emirati counterpart on that country's use of regulatory gaps in UK shell companies to facilitate the export of arms to the South Sudanese Government; and if he will make a statement.

Rory Stewart: The UK takes its arms export responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. We do not licence the supply of equipment that would be in breach of an arms embargo, which would provoke or prolong armed conflicts, or aggravate existing tensions or conflicts, or if there is a clear risk that the items might be used for internal repression.The British Government has not authorised the supply of arms to South Sudan. We have consistently called for a UN arms embargo to be implemented with immediate effect. Such an embargo would prevent any sale of arms to South Sudan globally.

Burma: Rohingya

Chris Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to end the violence against Rohingya people in Myanmar; and what support the Government is providing to Bangladesh to support displaced Rohingya refugees.

Mark Field: ​The UK has raised Burma three times at the UN Security Council (UNSC) since the outbreak of violence. On 13 September, we secured the first agreed UNSC press elements on Burma in eight years, which called on the Burmese authorities to stop the violence and allow humanitarian access. The Security Council discussed Burma in an open session on 28 September. We are considering with other Council members what further steps are needed.The Foreign Secretary convened a meeting of foreign ministers at the UN on 18 September which echoed the Security Council's call for an end to the violence. I reiterated this call at the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation's ministerial meeting on 19 September where the UK was praised for its humanitarian and political leadership in response to this crisis.The UK supported the UN Human Rights Council's decision in September to extend the mandate of its Fact-Finding Mission to Burma to cover the recent outbreak of violence in Rakhine.The Foreign Secretary represented the UK at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 16 October, securing agreement by member states to the suspension of all Burmese military visits to the EU and a review of all defence cooperation, and to consider additional measures if the situation in Rakhine does not improve. This followed the UK's lead in suspending co-operation with the Burmese military announced by the Prime Minister in September.The UK is the largest bilateral donor in Bangladesh supporting displaced Rohingya refugees and the vulnerable communities which host them. DFID has worked for a number of years in Cox's Bazar, and has stepped up efforts since the latest wave of Rohingya arrived in Bangladesh from Burma following the outbreak of violence in Rakhine on 25 August. DFID has committed an additional £42 million to support the latest influx of refugees from Rakhine with the most recent tranche of £12m, which I announced at a UN pledging conference in Geneva on 23rd October, and will match £5 million of UK public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) emergency appeal.

Burma: Rohingya

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government plans to (a) attend and (b) make representations at the next meeting of EU Ministers at which the persecution of the Rohingya is scheduled to be discussed.

Mark Field: The Foreign Secretary represented the UK at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 16 October, securing agreement to the suspension of all Burmese military visits to the EU and a review of all defence cooperation, and to consider additional measures if the situation in Rakhine does not improve. This followed the Government's own announcement on 19 September that the UK would suspend practical defence co-operation with the Burmese military and visits by senior military officers to the UK.The Foreign Secretary routinely attends EU Foreign Affairs Council meetings. He is committed to maintaining international attention and ensuring action on the situation of the Rohingya, and so would make representations at future meetings where the situation of the Rohingya is being discussed.

Maldives: Foreign Relations

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the strength of the UK's relationship with the Maldives; what the objectives are of the Government's policies on the Maldives; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Field: The British Government maintains cooperative bilateral relations with the Maldives in order to promote our mutual security and prosperity, and to assist the many British tourists who visit the Maldives every year.We remain concerned and have made repeated representations during recent weeks about governance and human rights in the Maldives, including freedom of expression and association, judicial independence, the arbitrary detention of political figures and the possible re-introduction of the death penalty.The UK is disappointed that the ​Maldives Government decided to withdraw from the Commonwealth last year. We believe in the Commonwealth and its commitment to improving the lives of people across all its member states.

China: Detainees

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received on Chinese lawyer Gao Zhisheng and his friends, Shao Zhong Guo, Li Fa Wang and Shi Da Cheng.

Mark Field: ​I am deeply concerned about reports that lawyers and their associates are being detained for carrying out their duties in China.I receive a large amount of Parliamentary questions and correspondence on human rights in China, including on detained lawyers. The FCO maintains an extensive network of contacts across China and the UK and regularly meets with stakeholders to hear their views and concerns.

China: Islam

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received on restrictions on the right to freedom of religion or belief for Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, China.

Mark Field: ​We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in China, particularly in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. We raised our concerns with the Chinese authorities at the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue which took place on 27 June 2017.I receive a large amount of Parliamentary questions and correspondence on human rights in China, including on this issue. The FCO maintains an extensive network of contacts across China and the UK, and regularly meets with stakeholders to hear their views and concerns. This includes the China Human Rights NGO roundtable held on 28 September, where this particular issue, amongst others was discussed.

Algeria: Foreign Relations

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met his counterpart in Algeria; and what issues were discussed at that meeting.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign Secretary has not met Mr Abdelkader Messahel, the Algerian Foreign Minister. I spoke to Mr Messahel on 5 September about Libya and our support for the UN political process.

Bolivia: Foreign Relations

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met his counterpart in Bolivia; and what issues were discussed at that meeting.

Sir Alan Duncan: I have not had the pleasure of meeting my Bolivian counterpart. I had been looking forward to meeting Foreign Minister Huanacuni on 24 October, but unfortunately his visit to the UK was cancelled.

Iran: Nuclear Power

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the decision of the US President to de-certify the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Alistair Burt: Since President Trump's announcement of his decision not to re-certify the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to Congress, we have engaged with our international partners, including the US, the EU and Iran, to examine the implications. The Prime Minister spoke to President Trump in advance of his announcement, and had conversations with European partners at the European Council on 19 October. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif and US Deputy Secretary of State Sullivan on 13 October, and discussed the issue with EU partners at the Foreign Affairs Council on 17 October.

Law of the Sea

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many members of staff in his Department have worked on marine diplomacy in each of the last five years.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Maritime Policy Unit (three members of staff) and the Maritime Security Team (three members of staff) have both been in existence during the past five years. In addition, staff in other departments in particular the Polar Regions Department, and in our posts across the world, have engaged on a variety of marine and maritime issues as they have arisen over the past five years.

Antarctic

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many members of staff in his Department work on matters relating to Antarctica.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Polar Regions Department leads for the Government on all Antarctic issues. Seven members of staff work in the Polar Regions Department. The Department also covers the Sub-Antarctic, Arctic policy coordination and the implementation of the Overseas Territories Blue Belt programme. Other FCO staff members will provide support on Antarctic issues as appropriate.

Cabinet Office

Civil Servants: Recruitment

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2017 to Question 7591, on civil servants: recruitment, whether any workers or firms from outside the Government have been involved in any of the work surrounding the pilots.

Caroline Nokes: The Civil Service Workforce Plan 2016-2020 includes an action to pilot alternative to competency-based recruitment and promotion in the Civil Service. A number of departments are involved in piloting alternative approaches. In a small number of cases, external consultants have provided support for these alternative approaches, for example in developing specific assessment tests for use across the Civil Service. These have included IBM who were contracted to develop Verbal and Numerical reasoning tests; and CS judgement tests which were procured through Right Management (subcontracted to A&DC) with payments also made to WCN, providers of the CS Jobs site. The Digital Accessibility Centre was also commissioned to carry out an accessibility audit.

Cabinet Office: Brexit

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of the Civil Service workforce in his Department dedicated to planning for (a) the UK leaving the EU and (b) projects relating to the UK leaving the EU.

Caroline Nokes: EU Exit is an all-of- government operation. The Department for Exiting the European Union is doing detailed work with departments to prepare for the upcoming negotiations by understanding the risks and opportunities of leaving the EU and coordinating planning.Members of staff across the Department may at times be required to provide advice and analysis on EU Exit issues as required. But given the interactions between EU exit work and the Department’s other priorities, it would not be possible to give an accurate figure.

Social Services: Finance

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Green Paper and consultation on the long-term funding for social care will include proposals for working age adults with disabilities.

Damian Green: We will work to address the challenges of social care for our ageing population, bringing forward proposals for consultation to build widespread support.The Government will make further announcements on the scope of the consultation in due course.

Absent Voting

Darren Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many voters in the (a) 2016 EU referendum and (b) 2017 UK General Election voted (i) at a polling station, (ii) by post and (iii) by proxy.

Chris Skidmore: The Electoral Commission publishes data on voting at elections and referendums on its website. The information can be found at https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/our work/our-research/electoral- data/electoral-data- new

Terrorism: Cultural Heritage

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether recovery funding, as laid out in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, is available to public cultural institutions that incur security costs due to terrorist attacks.

Caroline Nokes: The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Census: Arabs

Preet Gill: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason the Office of National Statistics included an ethnic group category for Arabs in the 2011 census.

Preet Gill: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Office for National Statistics will make a final recommendation on whether Sikhs will have their own ethnic tick box in the Census 2021.

Preet Gill: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what cost to the public purse was incurred by engaging BMG Research earlier in 2017 to test the inclusion of a Sikh ethnic tick box in the Census 2021.

Chris Skidmore: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. 



UKSA response
(PDF Document, 67.52 KB)

Census: Sikhs

Preet Gill: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the level of demand for the inclusion of a separate tick box to denote Sikh ethnicity expressed in the Office for National Statistics stakeholder consultation in 2015-16.

Preet Gill: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any opposition was expressed during the Office for National Statistics stakeholder consultation in 2015-16 to the inclusion of a separate Sikh ethnic tick box in the Census.

Preet Gill: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what work the Office of National Statistic has done to determine how many of the people who did not complete the optional religious question or specify their religion in the Census 2011 were from the Sikh community.

Chris Skidmore: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA response
(PDF Document, 66.29 KB)

Department for Work and Pensions: Electronic Government

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the proportion of site visits, from a verified account, which start on GOV.UK verify which are successful in accessing a service.

Caroline Nokes: ‘Success’ in this context is measured as the percentage of people with a verified identity who are then ‘matched’ with the departmental service they are attempting to access. Matching ensures that the user is shown the correct record within the service. Between January and August 2017, the matching success rate was 88%.

Department for International Development

Giraffes: Conservation

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding her Department has provided for the conservation of giraffes since June 2015; which projects have been supported by that funding; and what success those projects have had in terms of (a) sustainable giraffe populations, (b) sustainable tourism and (c) economic development.

Alistair Burt: The Department for International Development has not provided any funding for the conservation of giraffes since 2015.

Developing Countries: Malaria

Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effect on economic growth in countries where malaria is endemic.

Alistair Burt: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 23 October 2017.The correct answer should have been:

The World Health Organisation estimates that the support provided between 2000 and 2015, including that by the UK Government, resulted in a 6.8 million reduction in deaths globally. These life expectancy gains are valued at US$2.040 US$2040 billion which, for comparison, equates to 3.6% of the total gross domestic product (GDP) of malaria affected countries in 2015.

Alistair Burt: The World Health Organisation estimates that the support provided between 2000 and 2015, including that by the UK Government, resulted in a 6.8 million reduction in deaths globally. These life expectancy gains are valued at US$2.040 US$2040 billion which, for comparison, equates to 3.6% of the total gross domestic product (GDP) of malaria affected countries in 2015.

Pakistan: Non-governmental Organisations

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government plans to take to use its aid to Pakistan as a mechanism to discourage the overregulation of NGOs and to reduce violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Alistair Burt: International NGOs (INGO) are important development partners, and the UK is concerned about some of the restrictions they face. DFID and FCO officials regularly press the Government of Pakistan to ensure registration and regulation is implemented appropriately, and allow INGOs to continue their important work. Our aid relationship with the Government of Pakistan is based on assessment against our Partnership Principles. Funding is subject to programme performance and progress by government on key policy reforms. Disbursements are made only if robust indicators are met. These ensure UK aid is focused on helping the estimated 60 million Pakistanis who live in poverty and upholding civil and political rights.

Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funds her Department has committed to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria programme in the financial years (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16 and (c) 2016-17.

Alistair Burt: The table (below) shows DFID’s financial contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria over the timeframe specified. Financial Year£ millions2014/152852015/161002016/17153

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding her Department provided for bilateral programmes on tuberculosis in the financial years (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16 and (c) 2016-17.

Alistair Burt: DFID supports TB control through both bilateral and multilateral channels. The Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria is the principal mechanism the UK uses to finance our contribution to combat TB. We have pledged up to £1.1 billion for 2017-2019 to this Fund. We also support countries to strengthen their health systems so as to better address all causes of ill health including TB. In addition we support research on TB including to develop more effective diagnostics and treatment.Our purely bilateral spending on TB, which we publish by calendar year, is: £7,938,747 for 2013; £16,312,293 for 2014; and £10,017,171 for 2015. Data beyond 2015 has not yet been published.Data on UK aid expenditure is published each year and can be accessed from the link belowhttps://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-on-international-development-2016

Prosperity Fund

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on ensuring that expenditure from the Prosperity Fund prioritises international development over UK industrial and political interests.

Alistair Burt: The Prosperity Fund has been designed in accordance with the OECD DAC guidelines on Overseas Development Assistance and the 2015 UK Aid Strategy with a primary purpose to support economic development and poverty reduction in developing countries. It is expected that a secondary benefit of strengthening economic development in these countries will be increased trade and investment opportunities, including for UK companies. The Prosperity Fund is overseen by a Ministerial Board, with Minister of State Burt representing DFID, which sets strategic priorities. Official Development Assistance (ODA) eligibility and compliance with the International Development Act are central to Prosperity Fund assessment and approvals processes.

Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of arms sales to Saudi Arabia on development and humanitarian outcomes in Yemen.

Alistair Burt: We welcome the recent judgment by the High Court in favour of the Government on UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which underscores the fact that the UK operates one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. We will continue to keep our defence exports under careful review to ensure they meet the rigorous standards of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.The UN assesses Yemen to be the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Nearly 21 million people are in need of humanitarian aid. DFID’s support of £155 million for 2017-8 will feed 1.8 million people for at least a month, and provide 1.7 million people with nutrition support and an expected 1.2 million people with clean water and sanitation. We continue to strongly support the work of the UN’s Special Envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, to end the conflict and bring about peace.

Palestinians: Schools

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2017 to Question 105565, on Palestinians: schools, which international reports on the Palestinian Authority curriculum grades 1-4 her Department consulted when assessing the findings and recommendations of the IMPACT-se report on Palestinian Elementary School Curriculum 2016-17, published in April 2017.

Alistair Burt: In assessing the findings and recommendations of the IMPACT-se report on Palestinian Elementary School Curriculum 2016-17 we have drawn on recent United Nations analysis in relation to the Palestinian Authority curriculum, and on the approach used in the 2013 State Department-funded report by the Council of Religious Institutions in the Holy Land (CRIHL) which remains relevant for the current curriculum.

Developing Countries: Sexual Harassment

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she has taken to protect local staff on programmes funded by her Department from sexual harassment and to provide routes to report sexual harassment.

Alistair Burt: All organisations which DFID plans to fund are first subject to a rigorous Due Diligence assessment to ensure that they, and any organisations they fund, have adequate controls in place. This includes controls to protect staff from harm, such as sexual harassment.In addition, DFID’s new Supply Partner Code of Conduct mandates that suppliers and their sub-contractors must have a workforce whistleblowing policy. All of our funding mechanisms allow DFID to terminate funding projects early if suppliers do not fulfil their obligations.

Department for Education

Comprehensive Schools: Standards

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of children's progress in those comprehensives known as groups which have a grammar school culture of strict discipline, smart uniforms, longer school days, competitive sports, classics and all three sciences.

Nick Gibb: Many schools pride themselves on a strong approach to behaviour management, and teaching all pupils a stretching, knowledge-rich curriculum. The best examples of such schools serve as evidence of what it is possible to achieve, and demonstrate the power of having the highest expectations of all pupils.The freedoms the Government gives to academies and free schools, such as the ability to design their own curriculum or to set a longer school day, help ensure their pupils can reach their full potential.

Schools: Finance

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the new funding formula for schools includes funding for students with high needs; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: On 14 September, we published our decisions on the introduction of a national funding formula for schools (which provides core funding for all mainstream schools), and a national funding formula for high needs (which provides place funding for special schools, and top-up funding for high needs pupils in both special and mainstream schools). Under the national funding formulae, mainstream schools will be expected to contribute the first £6,000 of additional funding for any pupil on their roll with high needs from their schools block funding. When a school can demonstrate that the costs of additional support required for a pupil with high needs exceed £6,000, the local authority should allocate additional top-up funding from their high needs budget to cover the excess costs. This process is the same as under the previous funding system. This is explained in paragraph 54 of the High Needs funding 2018 to 2019 operational guide, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-funding-arrangements-2018-to-2019. If a school has concerns about the level of funding they receive for their pupils with high needs, it should discuss it with their local authority in the first instance.

Pupils: Fingerprints

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on the use of finger printing of school children for identification purposes.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Some schools in England use fingerprinting for the purposes of administering payment for school meals. Biometric systems can have a number of advantages, including removing issues around lost money, reduced queueing times and reducing the stigma associated with free school meals. Many children are already familiar with this technology as used, for example, to unlock a smart phone. However, the government does not endorse any particular approach, and governing boards are responsible for the day to day running of schools. Further information on “Protection of children's biometric information in schools” is available on our website at: http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/advice/f00218617/biometric-recognition-systems.

Young People: Disadvantaged

Clive Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason the Norwich Area Programme targets do not recognise vocational trade-related qualifications as a measure of progress for disadvantaged young people.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The priorities and targets for the Norwich Opportunity Area were developed and agreed by the Opportunity Area Partnership Board. The board is made up of key local stakeholders, including representatives from education and business. The Partnership Board conducted a comprehensive, in-depth analysis of local needs and set out its four key priorities and targets on the basis of the evidence and local consultation.I strongly agree about the importance of encouraging more disadvantaged young people, and indeed more young people from all backgrounds, to take up high quality vocational qualifications. One of the priorities set out in the Norwich Opportunity Area plan is to ensure that young people have access to the information and support they need to move successfully between education and into work. Within this priority, the plan has set an ambitious target around increasing the number of young people going into either a higher apprenticeship or higher education. The plan also sets the target that by 2021, 50% of 19 year olds will be qualified to level 3, which includes vocational qualifications. We will keep these priorities under review as the Opportunity Area programme develops and would be happy to engage with the hon. Member on next steps.

Languages: GCSE

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of pupils have studied a modern foreign language at GCSE level in each of the last seven years.

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of pupils have studied humanities at GCSE level in each of the last seven years.

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of pupils have studied (a) double and (b) triple science in each of the last seven years.

Nick Gibb: The proportion of students entered for modern foreign languages, humanities, double science and triple science since 2010 is published in the “GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2016 to 2017 (provisional)” statistical first release[1]. A list of qualifications which count towards the English Baccalaureate is available on the school performance tables’ website[2]. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gcse-and-equivalent-results-2016-to-2017-provisional - table 1c[2] A list of qualifications which count towards the English Baccalaureate can be found at: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/secondary_14/English_Baccalaureate_list_of_qualifications_July_2015.xls.

Pupils: Personal Records

Mike Kane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils' data has been (a) requested by and (b) given to the Home Office under the data sharing agreement with her Department for purposes including immigration enforcement in each month in 2017; and when those numbers will be published.

Mike Kane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to publish the data sharing agreement with the Home Office, used in monthly transfer of national pupil data, for purposes including immigration enforcement.

Nick Gibb: The National Pupil Database (NPD) is a longitudinal research database that provides invaluable evidence on educational performance to inform independent research, as well as studies commissioned by the Department. The Department may legally share the NPD (or elements of it) with third parties, using powers set out in Section 537A of the Education Act 1997, and the Education (Individual Pupil Information) (Prescribed Persons) (England) Regulations 2009. Organisations requesting access under those powers must show how it will be used to promote pupils' education, through evidence or research. In addition to the provisions within the Education Act 1997, in line with the Data Protection Act 1998 where the police or Home Office have clear evidence that a child may be at risk or evidence of criminal activity, limited data including a pupil’s address and school details may be requested from the NPD. This data does not include nationality or country of birth information. It is right that we share this data if it helps to keep a child safe from harm or to disrupt a crime. The Department does not currently routinely publish all underlying data sharing agreements. Where interested parties have specifically requested access to data shares (e.g. under Freedom of Information) they have been provided, including the Memorandum of Understanding in place with the Home Office. As part of its commitment to transparency, the Department will soon be publishing a full overview of all routine personal level data sharing, including the Home Office data sharing. We plan to publish this in December. The Department recognises that there is public interest in the volume of pupil records shared with the Home Office. That is why the forthcoming publication announced for December will include an update on the number of records being shared between the Department and the Home Office each month, providing open and equitable access to that information for all interested parties.

Free Schools: Bolton

Chris Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the most recent estimate is of the funding required to establish a free school in Bolton.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The capital cost of establishing a free school varies, depending on the type and size of the school and the site available. There is an approved primary free school project in Bolton (Great Lever Primary) but a suitable site has not yet been secured.The Department has provided Bolton Council with £27 million to fund new school places between 2011 and 2017 and a further £18 million for 2017 to 2020.

Pupil Premium: Bolton West

Chris Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which schools in Bolton West constituency have received funding from the pupil premium; and how many pupils in each such school have attracted such payments.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Information on the schools that have received pupil premium in each parliamentary constituency and in each financial year since its introduction in April 2011 are available in the national archive and on gov.uk at the links listed below. The information includes the numbers of eligible pupils in each school and the amount of pupil premium allocated to each school.Financial year 2011 to 2012: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130108054747/http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schoolsrevenuefunding/settlement2012pupilpremium/a0075963/pupil-premium-2011-12Financial year 2012 to 2013: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130123124929/http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schoolsrevenuefunding/settlement2013pupilpremium/a00200465/schools-funding-settlement-2012-13Financial year 2013 to 2014: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2013-to-2014-final-allocation-tablesFinancial year 2014 to 2015: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2014-to-2015-final-allocationsFinancial year 2015 to 2016: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2015-to-2016-allocationsFinancial year 2016 to 2017: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-conditions-of-grant-2016-to-2017Financial year 2017 to 2018: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-conditions-of-grant-2017-to-2018

Special Educational Needs: Teachers

Lucy Frazer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will assess the potential merits of increasing the number of non-pupil days for special needs schools to allow teachers to train to meet pupils' health needs.

Mr Robert Goodwill: We know how important it is that all children are supported to enjoy a full education, and that teachers have had sufficient training to support the pupils in their school. This is particularly important for children who attend special schools, who generally have more complex special educational needs than their peers in mainstream schools and may have health or personal care needs that require support during the school day. We believe that head teachers and teachers are best placed to judge their own training requirements. That is why decisions relating to the use of non-pupil days and teachers’ professional development rightly rest with schools.

Adoption

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to commission a national adoption stocktake.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The government has no plans to undertake a national adoption stocktake. In March 2016 the government published Adoption: a vision for change - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adoption-a-vision-for-change - which set out the government’s plans to address challenges in the adoption system over the next 4 years. This included radically redesigning the whole adoption system – the structures, systems and workforce – to ensure we have the foundations in place to build lasting change.

Free School Meals

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the eligibility for free school meals for people claiming universal credit.

Mr Robert Goodwill: My department has been working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to consider the criteria for determining entitlement to benefits-related free school meals under Universal Credit.No decision has been taken yet, and our proposals on this matter will be announced in due course.

Autism: Further Education

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many young people aged 16 to 25 with autism were allocated places as learners with further education and skills providers in each year since 2012.

Anne Milton: The table in the attachment shows learners aged between 16 and 25 with Autism Spectrum Disorder participating in further education and skills programmes in the academic year 2012/13 to 2015/16 (final year figures) and reported to date in 2016/17 (provisional full year figures).Changes in the methodology of data collection between 2014/15 to 2015/16 produced a variation in learner numbers. This was due to a revision in the way learners with learning difficulties and disabilities were categorised. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/478551/ILRSpecification2015_16_v4_Nov2015.pdfFrom the 2015/16 academic year a learning provider can record multiple disabilities on the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) that collects this data. This has led to an increase in the number of learners being reported against certain disabilities.Prior to 2015/16 only the primary disability was recorded, therefore comparisons of figures in 2015/16 and 2016/17 should not be made with earlier years.



Table of learners 
(Word Document, 22.7 KB)

Further Education: Special Educational Needs

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many young people aged 16 to 25 with high needs were allocated places as learners with further education and skills providers in each year since 2012.

Anne Milton: High needs students can attend both specialist and mainstream institutions, including general further education colleges. In the 2015 to 2016 academic year, 21,982 young people with high needs were either placed in special post-16 institutions or further education institutions which received additional funding from local authorities. In 2016 to 2017, this number rose to 25,675 students. Further education institutions include further education and sixth form colleges, and independent learning providers (formerly known as post-16 charitable and commercial providers). Comparable data regarding young people with high needs prior 2015 is not readily available.

Autism: Special Educational Needs

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people with autism aged 16 to 25 years old had (a) a statement of special needs, (b) an education, health and care plan or (c) a learning support assessment in each year since 2012.

Anne Milton: The table attached shows learners with autism aged between 16 and 25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan or Learning Support Assessment participating in further education and skills programmes in the academic year 2012/13 to 2015/16 (final year figures) and reported to date in 2016/17 (provisional full year figures).Further education and skills data is collected via the Individualised Learner Record (ILR). The ILR does not hold information on statements of special educational need, this is only collected for school pupils via the school census.From the 2015/16 academic year a learning provider can record multiple disabilities on the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) that collects this data. This has led to an increased in the number of learners being reported against certain disabilities.Prior to 2015/16 only the primary disability was recorded, therefore comparisons of figures in 2015/16 and 2016/17 should not be made with earlier years.Young people with special educational needs and disabilities received support through a Learning Difficulty Assessment (LDA) or a statement prior to September 2014. Revision to this support is reflected in the variation between 2014/15 to 2015/16 learner numbers.



Corresponding table
(PDF Document, 96.54 KB)

ICT: GCSE

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of students not in receipt of free school meals were entered for a GCSE in computer science in each of the last four years.

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of students in receipt of free school meals were entered for a GCSE in information technology in each of the last four years.

Nick Gibb: The proportion of pupils [1], [2] entered for GCSE Computer Science who were not eligible for free school meals (FSM) [3] are attached.The proportion of pupils [1], [2] entered for GCSE Information Technology who were eligible for FSM [3] are attached.Pupil characteristics information will be published, for the year 2016/17, in January 2018.[1] On roll at a state-funded school which includes academies, free schools, city technology colleges, further education colleges with provision for 14- to 16-year-olds (further education sector colleges were included in secondary school performance tables from 2015) and state-funded special schools. They exclude independent schools, independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision.[2] On roll at a state-funded school which includes academies, free schools, city technology colleges, further education colleges with provision for 14- to 16-year-olds (further education sector colleges were included in secondary school performance tables from 2015) and state-funded special schools. They exclude independent schools, independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision.[3] As recorded in the school census for that year.



Tables
(Excel SpreadSheet, 24.21 KB)

Further Education: Finance

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to undertake a review of funding of tertiary education.

Joseph Johnson: Post-16 education is a priority for this Government and we continue to keep the system under review. The Government will set out further steps on post-16 education in due course.

Lifelong Education: Finance

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the lifelong learning pilots announced in the Spring 2017 Budget, when funding for the pilots will be allocated; how the criteria used to determine that allocation funding will be allocated; and what the timetable is for the delivery of that funding.

Anne Milton: The Government allocated £40m at the Spring Budget to create career learning pilots to help individuals up-skill and re-skill throughout their working lives. These pilots are helpful in understanding how best to inform adults of the opportunities and benefits to such training. Details of the implementation of the pilots will be set out in due course.

Universal Credit

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what trigger she plans to put in place in the universal credit system to replace that of working tax credits to entitle children to free school meals.

Mr Robert Goodwill: My department is working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions, other government departments and other interested parties to establish criteria for determining entitlement to benefits-related free school meals as the roll-out of universal credit progresses.No decision has been taken yet; our proposals on this matter will be announced in due course.

Ministry of Justice

Administration of Justice

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made an assessment of the recommendations in the report produced by Lord Bach on access to justice.

Dominic Raab: We noted the report of the Bach Commission. This government is committed to ensuring access to justice. It will remain at the heart of our reforms.

Prisoners: Finance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what arrangements are in place with HM Prisons and Probation Service to hold funds on behalf of prisoners during periods in custody.

Mr Sam Gyimah: In accordance with the Prison Rules, whilst in custody prisoners are not allowed to have money on their person. Prisoners are allowed to receive and spend money within laid down rules and are also paid earnings for some of the activities they do. The central offender management system, known as Prison-NOMIS records all receipts, payments and balance information for prisoners in public sector prisons. Each private sector establishments operates their own offender management system outside of Prison-NOMIS but they must adhere to Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 01/2012 ‘Managing Prisoner Finance’.Offenders in Approved Premises under the National Probation Service are permitted to physically hold funds. If a request is submitted by the offender for the funds to be held by the Approved Premises this will be facilitated.

Prisoners: Radicalism

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of radicalisation in prisons.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Department takes the threat of radicalisation very seriously and tackling radicalisation is a key part of our work to improve safety in our prisons, and in the community for those under probation supervision. Front line staff are being given enhanced training to challenge extremist views and take action against them. A new joint HMPPS and Home Office Extremism Unit was created in April 2017 to drive closer working with policy and law enforcement partners. The first Separation Centre was opened at HMP Frankland in June 2017. Separation centres are facilities to hold the most subversive extremist prisoners, protecting those most vulnerable to radicalisation from their extremist ideology.

Liverpool Prison

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the management and operation of HM Prison Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Sam Gyimah: HMPPS keeps the management of all prisons for which it has responsibility under review.HM Inspectorate of Prisons also undertakes regular inspections of all prisons. The Secretary of State has established a new unit within HMPPS to ensure recommendations from all HMIP reports are followed up.A recent inspection of HMP Liverpool has taken place and the report will be published in due course.

Employment and Support Allowance: Coventry South

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average waiting time for employment and support allowance tribunals in Coventry South constituency was in each of the last four years.

Dominic Raab: The information requested is set out in the table below:  Average Clearance Time (Weeks)1 HM Courts & Tribunals Service to outcome Coventry/Leamington Spa venue2Year3Employment and Support Allowance42013/1428.62014/1538.12015/1619.32016/1716.2 1 Average Clearance Time - time taken from appeal receipt to outcome. This includes both those cleared at hearing and those cleared without the need for a tribunal hearing.2 First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support) appeals for Coventry South constituents are heard in the Coventry and Leamington Spa venues.3 The table shows information in the financial year April to March.4 Includes Employment and Support Allowance (Reassessments).Although care is taken when processing and analysing the data, the details are subject to inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale case management system and are the best data available.

Prisons: North West

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to award new prison contracts in the North West to private sector organisations during the current Parliament.

Mr Sam Gyimah: We will modernise the prison estate, closing older prisons that are not fit for purpose and creating in their place high-quality, modern establishments.This will help deliver prisons that are more safe and secure, so our staff can work more closely with offenders to change their lives and turn their back on crime for good.Decisions have yet to be made about the future operation of any new prisons or existing privately managed prisons where contracts are due to expire in the next five years.

Ministry of Defence

Gamecock Barracks

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the financial implications of re-deploying military units from Strensall to Gamecock Barracks, Nuneaton.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Defence Estate Optimisation Programme takes a long-term portfolio approach to transforming the Defence Estate into one fit for the future military needs of the Armed Forces.Taken as a whole the programme is proven to provide value for money by using the receipts from disposal sites and other allocated funding to enable new investment into the Ministry of Defence retained core estate. This will then deliver enduring efficiencies in infrastructure operating costs.Initial assessments into relocating the units presently based in Strensall to Gamecock Barracks are being undertaken with the costs considered as part of the whole programme.

RAF St Athan

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2017 to Question 105109, when he plans for (a) the light infantry unit to move to St Athan and (b) No. 4 School of Technical Training at St Athan to leave; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Currently plans are not sufficiently mature to provide dates for either of these proposed moves.

Red Arrows

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Leader of the House of 19 October 2017, Official Report, column 1023, how many Red Arrows flew in each display since 2009-10.

Harriett Baldwin: Information is only readily available for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.The Red Arrows conducted 267 displays over the 2016 to 2017 season, with only 13 of these being flown with fewer than the standard nine aircraft.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles the British Army has in (a) active service, (b) immediate reserve and (c) storage.

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many AS-90 self-propelled guns the British Army has in (a) active service, (b) immediate reserve and (c) storage.

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Challenger 2 tanks the British Army has in (a) active service, (b) immediate reserve and (c) storage.

Harriett Baldwin: The Ministry of Defence publishes annual statistics on vessels, land equipment and aircraft of the Armed Forces, as well as military formations. The information requested can be found at the following link: http://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-equipment-and-formations-2017 We do not routinely comment on specific levels of readiness for individual capabilities as to do so would compromise operational security, or would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Red Arrows

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of Leader of the House of 19 October 2017, Official Report, column 10263, how many hours the Red Arrows have flown in each year for which data is available.

Harriett Baldwin: Flying hours for the Red Arrows for the last five financial years are given below. Financial YearFlying Hours2012-132,3102013-142,8702014-152,7102015-162,4302016-172,680

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits: North West

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what venues were used for assessments for (a) employment and support allowance and (b) personal independence payments in the North West of England in 2016; and what the cost was of hiring each such venue.

Penny Mordaunt: Throughout 2016, the following 18 venues were used for the delivery of Employment and Support Allowance assessments in the North West. Barrow, Birkenhead, Blackpool, Bootle, Carlisle, Chester, Crewe, Lancaster, Mann Island, St Helens, Warrington, Workington, Bolton, Burnley, Manchester, Preston, Stockport, Wigan.Throughout 2016, the following 29 venues were used for the delivery of Personal Independence Payments (PIP) assessments in the North West. Wigan, Carlisle, Stockport, Manchester Brewery Yard, Barrow, Liverpool, Blackpool, Blackburn, Crewe, Warrington, Birkenhead, Preston Marshall House, Preston GreenbankCentre, Ormskirk, Lancaster, Manchester The Lilac Centre, Rochdale, Bolton, Prescot Eccleston House, Birkenhead, Chester, Childwall, Warrington, Anfield, Carlisle, PrescotPhysio First, Stockport, Runcorn, Burnley Under the Health and Disability Assessment Service contract the DWP provides the estate and pays an all-inclusive unitary price for the facility management services provided. Rental costs are not separately identified from other services delivered.Under the PIP contract the supplier sources the estate and costs are included in the contract price.

Universal Credit

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many work coaches there are in each jobcentre in which universal credit has been rolled out; how many claimants each work coach is responsible for; where those work coaches are based; and how many work coaches will be appointed in Preston when universal credit is rolled out in that parliamentary constituency.

Damian Hinds: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2017 to Question 105738, what the age of the oldest person receiving the UK state pension is in each country outside the UK.

Guy Opperman: The Department is unable to provide the information. Where a 100% data extract has been used for Official Statistics, we use statistical disclosure techniques to help ensure confidentiality is maintained and are therefore unable to provide the level of detail asked for without breaking this confidentiality. Data is potentially disclosive if, despite the removal of obvious identifiers, characteristics of this dataset in isolation or in conjunction with other datasets might lead to identification of the individual to whom a record belongs.

Universal Credit

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness among universal credit claimants that in addition to making an online application they must also arrange an appointment with the jobcentre and failure to do so invalidates their universal credit claim.

Damian Hinds: During the online claiming process claimants are advised by the service of any follow up action necessary including any appointment booking requirement. They will then receive a follow up email within three hours if the required action has not been taken. If they log in to their online account there will be a prominent reminder. We will soon be implementing the option of a text message reminder if the claimant has informed us that this is their preferred method of contact. We are also currently reviewing our online orientation process to make sure that all requirements are as clear as possible for claimants.

State Retirement Pensions: Females

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 June 2017 to Question 107, for what reasons women born between 6 April 1950 and 5 April 1953 were not informed sooner of their new state pension age under the provisions of the 1995 Pensions Act.

Guy Opperman: In the years after the 1995 legislation (1995 to 2011) this equalisation was frequently reported in the media and debated at length in parliament. People were notified with leaflets, an extensive advertising campaign was carried out, and later individual letters were posted out. Evidence submitted to the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee ‘Communication of state pension age changes’ in 2016 noted that there were more than 600 mentions of State Pension age equalisation in the national broadsheet and tabloid press between 1993 and 2006, an average of just under one per week between 1993 and 2006. There were 54 mentions in the press in 1995, the year in which equalisation was legislated for. This was a significant event to change the age at which women received their State Pension that had existed since 1940. This was news worthy, particularly to those that it affected. Further media coverage occurred around the Pension Acts 2007, 2011 and 2014.

Universal Credit: Internet

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to enable people with no access to the internet to make a claim for universal credit.

Damian Hinds: Claims for Universal Credit can be made over the phone and we have recently announced that the UC helpline will be a Freephone number. All jobcentres across the country have Wi-Fi and computers available, including 6000 additional computers installed to support the introduction of Universal Credit. This provides access to digital channels in every Jobcentre for claimants to use when they do not have access at home. Face to face support is also available in the Jobcentre for claimants to make and manage a Universal Credit claim.

Post Office Card Account

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to pay benefits and pensions into Post Office card accounts after 2021.

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to continue to pay benefits and pensions into Post Office card accounts until 2021.

Caroline Dinenage: In 2014 Government committed to maintain POca until at least 2021, to ensure that people who cannot use a mainstream account can continue to access their benefits and pensions.Government’s existing POca contract with the Post Office, which expires in November 2021, has an option to be extended for up to 3 years to 2024. A decision on any extension will be taken at the appropriate time, informed by both customers’ needs and the need to make sure the taxpayer sees Value for Money.

Post Office Card Account

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Post Office card accounts have migrated to mainstream bank accounts to date.

Caroline Dinenage: Direct Payment into a bank, building society or credit union account is the most efficient, cost effective and preferred way to make pension and benefit payments. The department is writing to some Post Office card account users about receiving their payments this way and around 440,000 have provided alternative payment details.

Universal Credit

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of protections in place for joint claimants of universal credit when one partner is in a relationship where he or she controls the other claimant.

Damian Hinds: There is support in Universal Credit to help those in domestic abuse situations. For example the payment can be divided between two members of the household. This is known as a Split Payment and it is designed to prevent hardship to the claimant and their family. It is considered in certain specific situations such as domestic violence or where financial abuse occurs and one partner mismanages the UC payment. In cases where the UC payment includes housing costs, a split payment would be accompanied by a Managed Payment to the landlord to safeguard the home and provide greater assistance for the claimant’s household. Furthermore, work coaches receive guidance and training on domestic violence situations and can remove any work related requirements on the victim and refer them to external, expert support.

Jobcentres: Coventry South

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of full-time equivalent work coaches who will be based at Cofa Court Jobcentre when universal credit is rolled out in Coventry South constituency.

Damian Hinds: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department for Work and Pensions: Telephone Services

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the (a) value and (b) length of contract for each organisation used by his Department to operate telephone helplines.

Caroline Dinenage: DWP contracts over £10,000 are published on the Contracts Finder website. The Contact Centres non-geographic numbers contract was awarded under the overarching Contact Centre Services contract published on 2nd February 2016.Link to Contract Finders website: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/ec58d876-3b02-4236-a0bf-e0d203a961a7?p=@RPT0=NjJNT08=UFQxUlR.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Bees: Neonicotinoids

Thelma Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of neonicotinoids on the native bee population.

George Eustice: Defra has supported a range of research relevant to improving understanding of the effects of neonicotinoids (and other pesticides) on bees. Recently completed work includes studies on: quantifying the exposure of bumblebees to neonicotinoids and mixtures of pesticides (commenced 2013), interpreting pesticide residues in honeybees (published 2015), using radio-frequency identification devices to assess effects of pesticides on foraging bees (commenced 2013), and protection goals for bee colonies (commenced 2015). The Government considers that decisions on the use of pesticides should be based on a careful scientific assessment of the risks. Pesticides that carry unacceptable risks to bees should not be authorised. The Government keeps the developing evidence on neonicotinoids under review, advised by the independent UK Expert Committee on Pesticides. On the basis of current available evidence, we support the existing restrictions.

Giraffes

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what activities were undertaken by (a) Ministers and (b) staff of his Department to celebrate World Giraffe Day in (i) 2015, (ii) 2016 and (iii) 2017.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: No specific activities were undertaken by Defra Ministers or staff to celebrate World Giraffe Day in 2015, 2016 or 2017. However, we are undertaking a number of activities to support this iconic species.In 2010 Defra’s Darwin Initiative funded a project that focused on ecosystem-wide forest conservation in the Democratic Republic of Congo using okapi, also known as the forest giraffe, as a flagship species. This project lead to the establishment of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group.The giraffe is proposed for listing on Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species for consideration at the 12th Conference of the Parties in Manila between 23 and 28 October 2017. The UK government supports this listing, which would encourage range states to conclude global or regional agreements for the conservation and management of giraffes.

Apples: Subsidies

Tonia Antoniazzi: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to support apple growers as part of any post-Common Agricultural Policy arrangements after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice: Leaving the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) will give us the opportunity to design a new system of agricultural support. Over the next few months the Secretary of State will continue to visit the British countryside and working farms to hear industry and the public’s views first hand to continue to inform post-CAP arrangements. This Government has pledged to continue to commit the same cash total in funds for farm support for the duration of this Parliament, providing certainty to farmers.  The Government currently supports horticulture though the LEADER scheme within the Rural Development Programme for England. It expects shortly to open an additional new funding offer for farmers and horticulturalists to invest in a range of innovative equipment to help improve their productivity. This funding will be open to apple growers and could support production for both the domestic and export markets. Also, Defra funds the National Fruit Collection which includes about 3,000 apple varieties. Material from the collection is available to propagators and growers, providing an opportunity to produce heritage varieties for specialist markets and a genetic resource for breeding new varieties. The government also offers financial support to EMR, which runs a breeding programme. The Government recognises that in order to stimulate innovative practices and increase productivity of sectors like top fruit, a strong research base is needed. Research can develop new innovative practices such as the 2013 agri-tech project looking into extending the availability and flavour-life of UK apples using innovative photonics. As part of the agri-tech strategy, £160 million has been committed to be co-invested with industry to address challenges in the agri-tech sector.

Flood Control: Finance

Clive Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how his Department allocates funds to each region to protect dwellings and businesses from surface water flooding.

Clive Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of funding to protect domestic dwellings and business from surface water flooding has been awarded to Norfolk.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Lead responsibility for managing surface water flood risks lies with Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs). The Government, through Defra, provides the majority of funding for flood and coastal erosion risk management activities for England in the form of Grant in Aid which is administered by the Environment Agency. As well as using their own funds, LLFAs can bid for this funding to carry out surface water management projects. Funding for projects to reduce the risk of surface water flooding is considered on the same criteria as other flood and coastal erosion risks. Projects which have the greatest economic benefits, which provide protection to the most homes in relation to their cost, and those that protect the environment are prioritised for funding. In the six year programme from 2015 to 2021, £767,000 of this funding was allocated to surface water flood risk management schemes in Norfolk. The Government also provides funding through the Local Government Settlement to LLFAs to carry out their surface water management and other duties under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. The total amount and breakdown per authority is published on gov.uk[1]. The total of the LLFA entries for Norfolk for 2017-18 is £851,730. This shows the significance central government gives to these services, but local authorities have freedom to determine their own priorities. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/core-spending-power-visible-lines-of-funding-2017-to-2018

Food: Prices

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on domestic food prices across the UK in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

George Eustice: Commodity prices, exchange rates and oil prices have been observed to be the key drivers of retail food price changes. These factors will continue to apply whether we are an EU member or not. The Government is committed to negotiating a deep and special partnership with the European Union and is conducting analysis to help inform our negotiations, including consideration of numerous trade options.

Food

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made, by region, of the effect of the Government's preferred deal outcome on the food and drinks sector when the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice: We are working towards securing the best deal for the food and farming sector as the UK leaves the EU, whilst ensuring consumers continue to have a wide range of choice of high-quality food products at affordable prices. At the same time, it will be a priority to maintain the UK’s high standards of food safety and of animal health and welfare. To this end, the UK is seeking a unique and ambitious economic partnership that provides the freest possible trade with the EU, including for the food and drink sector. The Government is conducting ongoing analysis of the impact of various trade scenarios on the UK agri-food sector.

Trees: Imports

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of bio-security controls on the number of trees imported; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: There is systematic screening of pest and disease risks which may be introduced through the trade in live trees. We carry out risk-based inspections at our borders to prevent the entry of such pests. Our inspectors are highly effective in comparison to their peers: the UK consistently makes more interceptions of harmful organisms than any other EU member state (around 40% of the total for the EU). We have strengthened EU regulations through the introduction of protected zones for high risk pests and statutory notification schemes for firewood and tree species at risk, for example, plane, oak, sweet chestnut and prunus. Over the last two years we have seen a 36% decrease in the number of imported oak and pine trees and a 65% decrease in the number of imported sweet chestnut.

Schools: Air Pollution

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has plans to create zero-emissions zones around primary and secondary schools.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce any new low emissions zones in the UK.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government published the air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on 17 July 2017. This sets out the Government’s approach to reducing concentrations of NO2 across the UK. The plan states that due to the highly localised nature of the problem, local knowledge will be crucial to solving pollution problems in these hotspots. The Government has therefore provided an additional £255 million in funding to help these local authorities develop plans which will deliver targeted action to address pollution hot spots, including areas surrounding schools if necessary. There are a range of measures local authorities can implement as part of their plans such as retrofitting buses or changing road layouts, including introducing Clean Air Zones should they consider this an appropriate solution. Local authorities already have the powers required to introduce Clean Air Zones under the Transport Act 2000. A framework was published in May this year which provides guidance on the approach local authorities should take to the introduction of Clean Air Zones.

Home Office

Counter-terrorism: USA

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has received information obtained by the US Administration by means of provisions within the USA PATRIOT Act of 2011; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Ben  Wallace: The UK and US exchange information regularly for a range of purposes including combating terrorism, serious organised crime and other offences.We do this through various mechanisms, including direct police-to-police and intelligence-to-intelligence cooperation and through instruments such as the UK-US treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters. These exchanges benefit both countries’ law enforcement operations.

Private Rented Housing: Fires

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people aged (a) 0 to 10, (b) 11 to 20, (c) 21 to 30, (d) 31 to 40, (e) 41 to 50, (f) 51 to 60, (g) 61 to 70, (h) 71 to 80, (i) 81 to 90 and (j) over 91 years who (i) died and (ii) were injured as a result of fire in private rented sector housing in each of the last three years.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number and proportion of domestic fires in the private rented sector in England that have occurred as a result of (a) smoking and (b) electrical faults since 2015.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) fatalities and (b) injuries there were in England as a result of fire in (i) privately rented, (ii) social and (iii) owner-occupied homes in each of the last three years.

Mr Nick Hurd: Figures on the age of fire-related fatalities and non-fatal casualties, in all dwelling types, can be found in table FIRE0503 at the link below.Figures on the source of ignition causing fire-related fatalities and non-fatal casualties, in all dwelling types, can be found in table FIRE0602 at the link below.https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fire-statistics-data-tables

Nationality: Republic of Ireland

Mims Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has secured reciprocity in the criteria for entitlement to Irish nationality for spouses of Irish citizens resident in the UK.

Brandon Lewis: The criteria for determining who is entitled to Irish nationality is a matter for the Government of Ireland.The close historic, social and cultural ties between the UK and Ireland have led to the creation of reciprocal rights for respective nationals when in the other state. Leaders in the UK and Ireland have confirmed their commitment to protecting these rights for British and Irish nationals which include the right to enter and remain, the right to work and to study and access to social welfare entitlements and benefits.

Members: Correspondence

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the hon. Member for Warley can expect to receive a reply regarding the case of Ms Kajal Verman and her letter of 14 June 2017.

Brandon Lewis: A response was sent on 17 October 2017.

Members: Correspondence

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the hon. Member for Warley can expect to receive a reply regarding the case of M Waqas and his letter of 21 August 2017.

Brandon Lewis: A response was sent on 17 October 2017.

Asylum

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance or service standards are in place to ensure that asylum seekers are able to add (a) dependents and (b) new born children to their asylum support.

Brandon Lewis: Details of the support available to asylum seekers including payments toward the costs arising from the birth of a new baby can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/asylum-support/overviewThe full policy and guidance for processing such claims is published on the GOV. UK at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/asylum-support-asylum-instructions

Emergency Services

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what proportion of occasions when a fire engine was despatched in response to a 999 call (a) a police vehicle and (b) an ambulance was also sent to the same incident in the last year for which figures are available.

Mr Nick Hurd: Figures are published in Fire Statistics (Table 0901) are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fire-statistics-data-tables

Passports: Children

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has been made of the effects of placing both parents names on a child's passport in the interests of helping border staff fulfil their duty to safeguard children; and if she will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: Adding a parent’s name to the passport at the time of issue would only reflect the parental information at the time the passport was issued and would not allow for any future changes.It would not reduce the need for border staff to be satisfied with the current relationship between the child and the accompanying adult, as they have a statutory duty to protect children and may question any passenger in relation to that duty. This position will not change whether or not parental names are added.

Immigration Controls

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were detained by the Border Force in the latest period for which figures are available; what information her Department holds about those who have been so detained; and if she will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: We publish quarterly information regarding immigration detention that includes those detained by Border Force. It shows the number of people that have been detained solely under Immigration Act powers. The latest tables dt_04 and dt_04_q in ‘Immigration Statistics, May to June 2017’, are available from the Home Office website at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/638608/detention-apr-jun-2017-tables.ods All individuals entering immigration detention are risk assessed and accommodated under the processes set out in Detention Services Order 03/2016.

Alcoholic Drinks: Licensing

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many alcohol licences have been revoked from shops which have participated in the sale of (a) non-duty paid alcohol and (b) illicit tobacco in the last 12 months.

Brandon Lewis: The Government does not collect information relating to the number of alcohol licences revoked from shops which have participated in the sale of (a) non-duty paid alcohol and (b) illicit tobacco.

Counter-terrorism: Police

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the equipment available to police forces to deal with an extended period of a critical terror threat.

Mr Ben  Wallace: Over recent years, the Home Office has worked with the police and other emergency services to develop a strong, capability to deal with a range of possible scenarios, which includes a change in the threat level to CRITICAL.We have a constructive dialogue with policing to ensure that the right powers, capabilities and resources are in place.Our emergency services are well practised in responding to a wide variety of threats. They regularly train and exercise together for a range of different scenarios.The Home Secretary recently announced additional funding of up to £24m to help policing meet the immediate costs of the terrorist attacks in London and Manchester.

Counter-terrorism: Police

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of a change in the level of neighbourhood policing on police counter-terrorism operations.

Mr Ben  Wallace: We recognise that it is crucial that the police have the right resources, capabilities and powers to keep the public safe. That is why we protected spending on counter-terrorism policing in the 2015 Spending Review and included a significant capital increase to deliver growth of key counter-terrorist policing capabilities. The Government has agreed up to £24m of additional funding for counter-terrorism policing this year, further to the £707m we have previously announced.The Government has recognised that terrorists Modus Operandi in the 21st century has changed and that is why we have increased funding across the broader CT partnerships.HMG has seen funding rise in CT within the 2015 spending review by 30% from 11.7bn to 15.2bn.

Immigrants: Detainees

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of people detained for immigration purposes.

Brandon Lewis: The Home Office is clear that in tackling immigration abuse we will use alternatives to immigration detention wherever possible. This includes community engagement by our immigration enforcement teams, and the development of the compliant environment to prevent access by illegal migrants to work, services and benefits, designed to encourage compliance and maximise voluntary returns; and enforcing return through same-day removals.Whilst detention will continue to be used to enforce returns where necessary, depriving someone of their liberty will always be subject to careful consideration and will take account of individual circumstances. Our aim is to focus on developing an immigration enforcement system founded upon compliance and less reliant upon detention.Consequently, we are reducing the size of the immigration detention estate, with the Home Office transferring The Verne immigration removal centre back to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service from January 2018.

Psychiatry: Migrant Workers

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who is responsible for paying the international skills charge for NHS psychiatrists who do not have a PhD and are on a tier 2 visa.

Brandon Lewis: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer that I gave on the 25 July 2017, UIN 5991.

Asylum: Children

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that children of asylum-seeking families are accommodated appropriately while their parents await a decision on their application for asylum support.

Brandon Lewis: The Government is committed to providing safe and secure accommodation while asylum claims are considered and ensures that suitable accommodation is allocated according to the specific needs of all eligible asylum seekers and their dependants. While eligibility for support under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 is being considered, destitute asylum seekers can be accommodated in Initial Accommodation (“IA”) under section 98 of the 1999 Act. All accommodation, including IA, must meet clear contractual standards and be appropriate to any particular characteristics and special needs of those that they accommodate, including children.

Radicalism

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has provided to local authorities (a) to help them understand the threat from extremism and (b) relating to statutory powers available to them to challenge extremist speakers.

Sarah Newton: This Government is committed to working with and supporting local authorities to defeat extremism. The Home Office is funding 42 local authorities to embed a network of Community Coordinators to lead work to counter extremism in priority areas. The Home Office has also supported Luton Council, Coventry University and the Local Government Agency to produce guidance on the tools available to local authorities to counter extremism – a key commitment of the Counter-Extremism Strategy. The guidance is supported by an online peer learning hub and has been developed through a local authority-led Special Interest Group on Countering Extremism. The group is chaired by elected members of Luton and Leeds Councils – both of which have a track record of countering extremism and supporting integration in their communities.The 2015 Prevent Duty has also embedded consideration of the risk of radicalisation in the day-to-day work of frontline statutory partners. Statutory guidance outlines each sector’s responsibilities to “have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism” under the Duty - this includes consideration of their responsibilities regarding extremist speakers.

Passports: Children

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2017 to Question 9459, on passports: children, what criteria her Department uses for certain circumstances under which the Border Force can stop a parent and ask them to produce documentation explaining the relationship between the parent and the child.

Brandon Lewis: Border Force officers have the power to ask questions of any passenger seeking entry to the United Kingdom so that their nationality and identity can be established. Through their interaction with passengers at the Border, officers must also discharge Border Force’s statutory duty to promote the welfare of children entering the United Kingdom.Border Force officers are trained to identify safeguarding issues. Where a Border Force officer has concerns surrounding the welfare of the child or where, for example, it is not immediately apparent that they are related, they may request that the accompanying adult provides additional documentation that confirms the relationship between them and the child.

Prostitution

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to adopt a strategy on prostitution which emphasises preventing women and girls entering prostitution and support women wishing to exit prostitution; what steps she plans to take to ensure that women are not penalised by the implementation of such a strategy; and if she will make a statement.

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to fund specialist services to prevent women entering prostitution.

Sarah Newton: The Government has set out in its Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy published in March 2016 that it is committed to tackling the harm and exploitation that can be associated with prostitution, and believes that people who want to leave prostitution should be given every opportunity to find routes out. The Home Office has committed £150,000 to commission research into the nature and prevalence of prostitution in England and Wales. We believe that such an evidence base is vital prior to considering further changes to policy or legislation. We have provided £389,000 to organisations which help those who want to leave prostitution and sex work. Merseyside PCC have also been awarded £650,000 from the VAWG Transformation Fund to provide a victim-focused service for sex workers who are victims, or at risk of sexual or domestic violence and abuse, exploitation or human trafficking. We know that issues around prostitution are complex, and can impact on individuals in different ways. Local areas and police forces are in the best position to identify and respond to these issues, and are able to adapt their approach to take account of such complexities. They are supported in this by guidance developed by the National Policing Lead for prostitution.

Homelessness: Foreign Nationals

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provisions her Department has in place to help support sponsored foreign nationals at risk of homelessness if their sponsor is no longer available.

Brandon Lewis: Foreign nationals in the UK who are sponsored, are generally expected to leave the UK if their sponsor is no longer available. Those who qualify for residence in their own right, may be able to apply for housing benefits or homelessness assistance if the conditions of their stay allow recourse to public funds.

Asylum: Ethiopia

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people from Ethiopia submitted applications for asylum in each financial year from 2010-11 to 2016-17.

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for asylum submitted by (a) Iranian and (b) Ethiopian nationals between 2010 and the latest date for which figures are available (i) are pending and (ii) have been (A) approved and (B) refused.

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people from Iran have submitted applications for asylum in each financial year from 2010-11 to 2016-17.

Brandon Lewis: The Home Office publishes annual breakdowns of the number of applications for asylum and the number of applications that were refused at initial decision, broken down by nationality, in the quarterly Immigration Statistics release. The latest figures are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-april-to-june-2017Table as_01 contains the total number of applications, the number of initial decisions (broken down by decision type), and the number of cases where a decision is pending, in each year. Table as_01_q provides quarterly breakdowns of these data.Table as_06 provides additional information on the outcomes of asylum applications raised in a given year.

Immigration

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum and immigration cases were delayed as a result of misplaced documents in each year for which figures are available.

Brandon Lewis: The specific data requested is not published by the Home Office.

Stalking and Domestic Violence

James Frith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received on the introduction of a register for people found guilty of stalking or domestic violence offences.

Sarah Newton: The Government is fully committed to tackling domestic abuse and stalking. The Home Office has met and continues to meet with a number of partners to develop proposals to further protect victims and further target perpetrators, which have included discussions on the introduction of a register. Those convicted of domestic abuse related offences and stalking offences are already captured on the Police National Computer. Where appropriate, they will also be captured on other systems such as on the Dangerous Persons’ Database, and managed by police and probation under Multi-agency Public Protection Arrangements. The Government’s focus is on ensuring we make better use of existingsystems, rather than creating new databases or registers for differentoffences, which risks a disjointed police and offender management response. In addition, the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme has also been rolled out nationally to inform and alert new partners about a perpetrator's previous offending.

Proceeds of Crime

Mr Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will communicate guidance to the Director-General of the National Crime Agency on the use of the powers under section 241A of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, as amended by Criminal Finances Act 2017.

Mr Ben  Wallace: Section 13 of the Criminal Finances Act allows for civil recovery to be undertaken in cases in relation to property connected with gross human rights abuse or violations. It expands the definition of 'unlawful conduct' within Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) to include conduct by a public official that constitutes gross human rights abuse or violations (defined as torture or inhuman, cruel or degrading treatment) of a person on the grounds that they have been obtaining, exercising, defending or promoting human rights, or have sought to expose gross human rights abuse conducted by a public official.This new power also covers conduct occurring anywhere in the world, provided that it would constitute a sufficiently serious offence if it had occurred in the UK (i.e. that it would have been triable by indictment).There are a number of dependencies which must be implemented before the Act, including section 13, can be commenced. Work is underway, to ensure the necessary court rules, secondary legislation, training, guidance, and human resources are in place for commencement of the Act by Summer 2018. This includes the guidance for prosecutors and investigators issued under Section 2A of POCA.

Knives: Sales

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether people who purchase knives for work-related purposes will be made exempt from the proposed ban on online knife sales.

Sarah Newton: On 14 October we launched a public consultation on new legislation on offensive and dangerous weapons. This includes the proposal that where a knife is sold online it is an offence to deliver the knife to a private residential address. This is intended to apply to online sales of knives so we can prevent knives being sold to under 18s online. However, the proposal will not prevent knives being sold online and instead being collected from a place where the age and identity of the purchaser can be checked or from being delivered to a non-residential address such as a business. We recognise that knives are essential in everyday life at home and at work and this proposal does not change that.

Fire and Rescue Services: Finance

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has been made of the adequacy of the level of financial reserves held by fire authorities.

Mr Nick Hurd: At March 2016, standalone Fire Authorities held reserves of £602m. This is an increase of 153% since March 2010, and represents 43% of core spending power in 2015/16. The Department for Communities and Local Government collects and publishes data on revenue expenditure and financing of local authorities in England, including financial reserve levels. Final outturn information for 2015/16 can be found on the Government website at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-2015-to-2016-individual-local-authority-data-outturn

Dogs: Smuggling

Mr Alister Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assistance UK Border Force is providing to support Operation Delphin at the Port of Cairnryan.

Brandon Lewis: The port of Cairnryan is a domestic UK port. Border Force has no powers to operate in that environment.

Slavery

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many companies have been required to publish a modern slavery and human trafficking statement in accordance with section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 in (a) 2016 and (b) 2017; and whether the identities of those companies are known to (i) her or (ii) her Department.

Sarah Newton: The Home Office estimates that between 9,000 – 11,000 businesses are required to publish a slavery and human trafficking statement. The Government does not hold a definitive list of eligible organisations.

Police: Finance

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unsuccessful bids were made for the Police Transformation Fund; and what the amount was of each unsuccessful bid to that fund.

Mr Nick Hurd: Details of the Police Transformation Fund awards from the three bidding rounds have been published at the following links: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-transformation-fund-successful-bids-2017-to-2018 and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-transformation-fund-successful-bids-2016-to-2017.

Asylum

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2017 to Question 7036, on asylum, how many decision makers there are; and how many decision makers there have been in each of the last seven years.

Brandon Lewis: The Home Office has rolling recruitment campaigns to maintain the number of Decision Makers at a level which allows cases to be progressed in line with service standards.

European Arrest Warrants

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times a European arrest warrant was issued in each month since January 2016.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Home Office does not hold the specific information requested. However, statistics on the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) are published by the National Crime Agency each year. These figures include the number of EAWs issued by the United Kingdom on an annual basis. These figures are published at: http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/european-arrest-warrant-statistics

Visas: Fees and Charges

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of income from priority visa application fees is spent on UK Visas and Immigration staffing resources relating to the processing of such visas.

Brandon Lewis: The Home Office does not hold information on the staffing costs associated with the processing of visa applications where the applicant has paid the optional priority visa service fee. The cost of processing visa applications varies by application type, as set out in the published unit costs and fees table, which can be accessed via the link below https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/606616/Unit_cost_table_2017.pdf

Visas

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of (a) priority and (b) non-priority visa applications at each visa application centre were completed within  the 12-week UK Visa and Immigration service standard in the most recent year for which data is available.

Brandon Lewis: Information on performance against service standards is published as part of the transparency data at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-operations-transparency-data-august-2017. The latest data shows that for 2017 Q1, 96.5% of straightforward applications were completed within Service standards.

Visas: Arts

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Tier 1 exceptional talent visas for the arts were (a) applied for, (b) accepted and (c) rejected in each of the last four years.

Brandon Lewis: The specific information you have requested is not currently published.

Visas

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of settlement and non-settlement visa applications have required applicants to submit additional documents in each of the last five years; and what proportion of those applications have been resolved within (a) 15, (b) 60 and (c) 90 working days.

Brandon Lewis: The specific data requested is not published by the Home Office. Published data on visa processing times, including the percentage of visas processed within published service standards, is published online at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data (then listed by publication date under ‘UK Visas & Immigration’).

Visas

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many priority visa applications that were not resolved within the 12-week UK Visas and Immigration service standard received  (a) no refunds, (b) partial refunds and (c) full refunds in each of the last five years.

Brandon Lewis: The data requested is not published by the Home Office.

Children: Protection

Thelma Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effects of the recent changes in neighbourhood policing levels on the police's ability to protect vulnerable children.

Mr Nick Hurd: We recognise that it is crucial that the police have the right resources, capabilities and powers to keep the public safe. We have provided millions of pounds of extra investment through the Police Transformation Fund to transform policing to respond to changing crimes and threats including crimes against vulnerable people such as child sexual abuse. The 2015 Spending Review protected overall police spending in real terms. We are undertaking a programme of engagement with the police to understand the impact of changing demands, and to hear how the police are managing these. That includes what more can be done to improve productivity and efficiency, reduce bureaucracy, and make prudent use of financial reserves.

Refugees: Children

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review the cap on the number of places available to transfer children to the UK under the Dubs scheme.

Brandon Lewis: The Home Office consulted extensively with local authorities over several months to reach the specified number of children under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016. This included a national launch event and over 10 regional events in England, as well as Scotland and Wales. There are already over 4,000 unaccompanied asylum seeking children in local authority care in the UK, and some local authorities host a disproportionate number of children. These children all need support, as do the British children in our care system. In order to ensure the specified number of children to be transferred is a true reflection of the responses to that consultation, the Government increased the specified number from 350 to 480 following the notification of an administrative error as part of collating the figures. The Government welcomes all offers from local authorities with capacity to look after unaccompanied asylum seeking children which we will to fulfil our existing commitments, including ensuring a fairer distribution of unaccompanied asylum seeking children between local authorities.

101 Calls: Fees and Charges

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to remove the charges from the 101 police non-emergency telephone number.

Mr Nick Hurd: Calls to 101 cost 15p from a mobile device or landline phones, from anywhere in the country and regardless of duration. Calls are free from payphones. The public have always paid to contact the police by telephone for non-emergencies and the 15p charge per call is a transparent rate that fully funds the 101 non-emergency service. Police non-emergency numbers (such as 0845 numbers) which were used before 2011 could cost members of the public up to 40p per minute. While it may not be an option for everyone, the public can also report non-emergency crimes online via forces’ websites.   The Home Office is supporting the digital transformation of policing through programmes such as the Digital Policing Portfolio (DPP), led by the NPCC. Within the DPP, the Digital Public Contact programme aims to provide appropriate digital channels for the public to report and track crime online, facilitating greater public-police interaction in real time.

Immigration

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason permanent residence cards have been deemed to be invalid once the UK has left the EU.

Brandon Lewis: Permanent Residence cards confirm the acquisition of a permanent right to reside in the UK under European law. In future, the Free Movement Directive will no longer apply and the migration and status of EU nationals will be subject to UK law. We have put forward a fair and serious offer to the EU, giving EU citizens who have arrived before a specified date, the opportunity to acquire UK settled status after five years’ continuous residence thus enabling them to carry on with their lives as before.

Northumbria Police: Staff

Mr Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of changes in police officer numbers employed by Northumbria Police on their effectiveness since 2010.

Mr Nick Hurd: Northumbria Police have consistently been graded as “Good” on police effectiveness in Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services PEEL inspections (most recently published in March 2017). Decisions about the number of officers and how they are deployed are a matter for PCCs and chief officers. I am, however, engaging with the sector to better understand the changing demands on the police and how these can best be managed, including what more can be done to improve productivity and efficiency and make prudent use of financial reserves.

Wales Office

Travel: Republic of Ireland

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate his Department has made of the number of journeys by (a) people and (b) freight between ports in Wales and the Republic of Ireland in each year since 2010.

Alun Cairns: Data on the number of sea passenger journeys between Wales and the Republic of Ireland is published in the UK international sea passengers dataset in tables SPAS0108 and SPAS0102. The figures are summarised below:  2010201120122013201420152016Swansea - Cork9459n/an/an/an/an/aMilford Haven - Rosslare325313329328322335339Fishguard - Rosslare419410364333351327298Holyhead - Dublin1,8211,7811,7091,7661,8751,9701,927Holyhead - Dun Laoghaire252238189188139n/an/aTotal Wales-Rep. Ireland 2,9112,8012,5912,6152,6862,6322,564  For freight, the published statistics relate to tonnage and units moved between Welsh ports and the Republic of Ireland (rather than freight journeys), with detailed figures available in table Port0499 of the UK international sea passengers dataset. The figures for units and tonnage moved between Welsh ports and the Republic of Ireland for every year between 2010 and 2016 are summarised below. Total units moved between Welsh ports and the Republic of Ireland (thousand units)Total tonnage moved between Welsh ports and the Republic of Ireland (thousand tonnes)20101110.1537242.83520111093.8077164.28720121025.6536981.9120131062.618288.56320141117.0967748.73220151158.4778469.23320161191.5768299.612 Please note that units include passenger vehicles.

Welsh Government

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many formal meetings he has had with Welsh Government Ministers since 8 June 2017.

Alun Cairns: I have had nine formal meetings and phone calls with Welsh Government Ministers since 8 June. I also have regular informal discussions with Welsh Government Ministers.

Economic Situation: Wales

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether the Government plans to share with the Welsh Assembly any regional analysis of the effect of potential outcomes on the Welsh economy of negotiations to leave the EU.

Alun Cairns: The Department for Exiting the European Union, working with officials across Government, is undertaking a wide range of analysis covering the entirety of the UK economy in order to support negotiations. We are looking at over 50 sectors as well as cross-cutting regulatory issues. As Parliament has agreed, we will not publish anything that would undermine our ability to negotiate the best deal for the United Kingdom.The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales will continue to work with other Government departments, the Secretary of State’s expert panel of stakeholders, the Welsh Government, and the National Assembly for Wales, to support the Welsh economy and promote a prosperous Wales within a strong United Kingdom.

GCSE: Wales

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State and the Cabinet Secretary for Education in the Welsh Government on the divergence of GCSE grading schemes between Wales and England.

Alun Cairns: As you are aware, education is devolved to the Welsh Government. Following changes to GCSEs in both England and Wales, I am keen to ensure that any differences between the two education systems do not negatively affect potential opportunities for students in Wales. As such, I am happy to work with the Welsh Government as and when is appropriate.

HM Treasury

Border Planning Group

Charlie Elphicke: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any action has been taken to date following and as a result of the meetings of the Borders Planning Group.

Mel Stride: The Border Planning Group is a cross-Whitehall senior officials group. It provides strategic oversight and assurance of Departmental plans to manage the impact at the border of withdrawal from the EU. It ensures that individual departments’ border-related projects and programmes are coordinated and deliverable. Recommendations and meeting outcomes cannot be disclosed as these relate to the formulation or development of government policy.

Children: Day Care

Tulip Siddiq: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2017 to Question 7789, on day care, what proportion of parents who have successfully applied for tax-free childcare are self-employed.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 11 September 2015 to Question 8179 on children: day care, what recent assessment he has made of the link between the introduction of tax-free childcare and (a) the cost and (b) demand for childcare.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding HM Revenue and Customs has (a) set aside and (b) paid out to parents in compensation for not being able to access their tax-free childcare accounts.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to extend the April 2018 deadline for childcare vouchers if the Childcare Service IT system is not fully operational.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the suitability of the IT system run by ATOS that operates tax-free childcare.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many childcare providers have registered for the provision of tax-free childcare.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the technical performance of the Childcare Choices portal and the effect of that performance on access to (a) 30 free hours and (b) tax-free childcare.

Elizabeth Truss: The Childcare Choices website brings together all the government’s childcare offers into one place for the first time. It is the starting point for parents to find out about what government support they might be entitled to. Since its launch in March 2017, the website has over 1 million unique visitors. Parents can follow a link from Childcare Choices to the childcare service to apply for 30 hours free childcare and/or Tax-Free Childcare. From Childcare Choices they can also use the Childcare Calculator to work out which offer is best for them. Since the childcare service was launched in April, over 216,000 30 hours eligibility codes were generated for children who will be eligible for 30 hours free childcare in the autumn term, and Tax-Free Childcare accounts have been opened for more than 155,000 children. Whilst the majority of parents have applied with no issue, some parents have experienced difficulties. HMRC have apologised to those parents and are working with National Savings & Investments (and their supplier Atos) to make a range of improvements to the childcare service. HMRC have arrangements in place to ensure that no parents miss out financially as a result of these issues. In relation to the numbers of childcare providers signed-up to deliver Tax-Free Childcare I refer the honorable member to my response to Parliamentary Question (105541) on 16 October 2017. To date, 14% of successful applicants for Tax-Free Childcare are self-employed or have a partner who is self-employed. These are people who would otherwise not have acess to supported childcare. A study into the feasibility of measuring the impact on the labour and childcare market impacts of Tax-Free Childcare was published in February 2016 and can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/feasibility-study-into-evaluating-the-labour-and-childcare-market-impacts-of-tax-free-childcare-and-the-free-early-education-entitlement. The Government has committed to carry out a post-implementation review, two years after the implementation of Tax-Free Childcare to evaluate the impact of the scheme, including on the childcare market. The parent application, account and helpline for Tax-Free Childcare are delivered by National Savings & Investments, working their supplier Atos. The arrangements for performance management of National Savings & Investments, including the performance of the childcare service, were described in response to a Parliamentary Question (105683) on 16 October 2017. The Director General for Transformation at HM Revenue & Customs, provided information on compensation arrangements in a letter to the Chair of the Treasury Select Committee on 4 October, found here:http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/treasury/Correspondence/2017-19/Correspondence-hmrc-taxfree-childcare-compensation-041017.pdf As announced at Budget 2016, Employer Supported Childcare schemes will close to new entrants from April 2018.

Insurance Companies

Laura Smith: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the level of incidences of collusion in the insurance industry between providers of home and contents insurance.

Stephen Barclay: The government is committed to ensuring that the home insurance industry operates on a fair and competitive basis. The government works closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Both CMA and FCA have significant powers to deal with anti-competitive behavior. The government is confident that both regulators are effective in their assessment of the practices of the providers of home and contents insurance.

Government Departments: Brexit

Jo Stevens: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the Government departments that his Department does not anticipate needing discrete funding to prepare for UK negotiations on the EU resulting in no deal in the 2017-18 financial year.

Jo Stevens: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total amount of discrete funding his Department estimates each Government Department will receive to aid preparations for UK negotiations on the EU resulting in no deal in the 2017-18 financial year.

Elizabeth Truss: The Treasury has committed over £250 million of additional spending in 2017-18 to prepare for Brexit from the Reserve. Departmental allocations will be set out at Supplementary Estimates in the usual way.

Universities: EU Grants and Loans

Chris Green: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department plans to make of the contribution of European Structural and Investment Funds to UK universities; and if he will takes steps to ensure that there will not be a funding gap for universities.

Elizabeth Truss: The government has guaranteed funding for all European Structural and Investment Fund projects signed before we leave the EU – provided they are value for money and in line with domestic priorities. These guarantees are designed to ensure projects are not disrupted, communities do not miss out and gives British organisations, and potential investors, the certainty and stability they need to continue to bid for funding and help us make a success of Brexit.

Police: Wales

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will allocate a proportion of the funds collected from the Apprenticeship Levy funding to the College of Printing for police training in Wales.

Elizabeth Truss: Given that skills policy is devolved, devolved administrations will receive a population share of the UK-wide revenue from the levy. In 2017-18, the Welsh Government will receive £128 million. It is for the Welsh Government to decide how to use this funding.

Government Departments: Brexit

Mary Creagh: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the contribution of the Prime Minister of 11 October 2017, Official Report, column 328, how much of the funding to Departments for work on the UK leaving the EU each Department will receive.

Elizabeth Truss: As you note, the Prime Minister confirmed that the Treasury has committed over £250 million of additional spending in 2017-18 to prepare for Brexit from the Reserve. Departmental allocations will be set out at Supplementary Estimates in the usual way.

UK Trade with EU

Chuka Umunna: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the analyses the Government has undertaken on the effect of leaving the Customs Union on various sectors of the UK economy.

Mel Stride: The government is undertaking a comprehensive programme of analytical work to assess, across a range of scenarios on a sector by sector basis, the economic impacts of exiting the European Union. However, this analysis is sensitive in the context of negotiations with the European Union. We have committed to being as transparent as we can throughout the process of leaving the EU, but as Parliament has agreed, it would not be appropriate to publish any such information that could damage our negotiating position.

Entertainers: Employment

Tom Watson: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that performers contracted to work in shows under the management of a director employed as workers and are remunerated as such.

Mel Stride: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is committed to robustly tackling false self-employment; it investigates any evidence suggesting that workers have been misclassified for tax purposes. It will identify the facts and take steps to ensure the right tax, NICs, interest and any penalties are paid. Every complaint made through the ACAS helpline for National Minimum Wage compliance is investigated, and HMRC always takes action where they believe an employer is not paying its workers the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage. HMRC publishes guidance about the status of actors and performers here: https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-status-manual/esm4121

Multinational Companies: Company Accounts

Dr David Drew: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to support public country by country reporting.

Dr David Drew: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in other EU countries on public country by country reporting.

Mel Stride: The government continues to support the development of a public country-by-country reporting model that operates on a multilateral basis as this would help ensure effective implementation. The Chancellor of the Exchequer and other Treasury Ministers continue to meet with their European counterparts on a regular basis, including at the Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN) Council, to discuss issues including tax transparency. The UK will continue to engage constructively with the European Commission proposal for public country-by-country reporting.

Alcoholic Drinks: Licensing

Stephen Lloyd: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HM Revenue and Customs is taking to encourage local authorities to remove alcohol licences from premises which have participated in the sale of (a) non-duty paid alcohol and (b) illicit tobacco.

Andrew Jones: HM Revenue and Customs works closely with other enforcement agencies to tackle illicit alcohol and tobacco and in both areas has identified the need to maximise the use of sanctions available across government. This includes withdrawal of alcohol licenses for the offences listed in Schedule 4 to the Licensing Act 2003 such as the sale of illicit tobacco, counterfeit alcohol and the evasion of excise duty. ‎Using the range of sanctions available has been encouraged through continuing discussion and initiatives such as HMRC's review of sanctions for tobacco fraud. As part of that review HMRC has been working with Trading Standard on the application of existing sanctions and consideration of options for new sanctions, which could potentially apply to other excise duty fraud. HMRC is currently considering responses to its consultation on proposals for new sanctions undertaken earlier this year.

Credit: Interest Rates

Toby Perkins: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2017 to Question 10193, whether the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)has conducted investigative work to assess whether consumer credit providers are complying with FCA rules and ensuring that advertised loan APR rates are being offered to at least 51 per cent of those customers who request them.

Stephen Barclay: This is an operational matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who are operationally independent from Government. The question has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the honourable member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Bank Services: Internet

Chi Onwurah: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the timetable is for the implementation of the standardised Open Banking application programming interface.

Stephen Barclay: The standardised Open Banking application programming interfaces will be implemented from early 2018.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Jim Shannon: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he or a Minister of his Department will meet with the Equitable Members Action Group to discuss the level of payments made available to policyholders in relation to the relative losses suffered as a result of past government and regulatory maladministration.

Stephen Barclay: Up to £1.5bn has already been allocated to the Equitable Life Payment Scheme to pay to policyholders. There are no plans to reopen the Payment Scheme or to allocate further funds to it.

Social Services: Minimum Wage

Paul Blomfield: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2017 to Question 107910, on social services: minimum wage, how much was paid to social care workers through self-correction; and how much was recovered by HM Revenue and Customs between January 2016 and 31 March 2017.

Mel Stride: As referenced in the answer to question 107910, between January 2016 and 31 March 2017, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) instructed 42 employers to self-correct identified arrears of over £1.9m to social care workers. Where employers self-correct arrears owed, HMRC carries out checks to ensure the money is repaid to the workers. HMRC does not recover the arrears.

UK Trade with EU: Parcels

Peter Kyle: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that the movement of goods as small parcels continues to operate effectively after the UK leaves the EU.

Mel Stride: The Government published a White Paper on the UK’s future customs, VAT and excise plans on 9 October. This sets out the Government’s aim of ensuring that the movement of goods as small parcels, via Royal Mail and fast parcel operators, continues to operate effectively. It can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/customs-bill-legislating-for-the-uks-future-customs-vat-and-excise-regimes HM Revenue and Customs is working closely with stakeholders to ensure the movement of goods as small parcels continues to operate effectively after the UK leaves the EU.

Monarch Airlines: Insolvency

Andy McDonald: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the collapse of Monarch Airlines.

Elizabeth Truss: HM Treasury has not made its own estimate of the total costs associated with the collapse of Monarch airline.

Universal Credit and Welfare Tax Credits

Sir David Amess: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to reduce couple penalties for people on universal credit or in receipt of tax credits.

Elizabeth Truss: The government is committed to making the welfare system fair for those who pay for it as well as those who benefit from it. This means ensuring that it is appropriately targeted to those that most need support.

Married Couple's Allowance

Sir David Amess: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to increase the take-up of the marriage allowance.

Mel Stride: Marriage Allowance was introduced in April 2015, to recognise the importance of marriage in the tax system, and support those on low incomes by helping them keep more of the money they earn. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) ran a number of advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the savings Marriage Allowance can bring to eligible couples. The first campaign ran between October 2015 to March 2016, and the second between November 2016 to March 2017. A variety of channels were used including press, radio adverts, and digital advertising. 2.4 million couples have successfully claimed Marriage Allowance. In 2017-18, eligible couples can receive a tax reduction of £232, or £662 if they make a backdated claim to 2015-16. Couples who have yet to claim will not lose out as they have until 5 April 2020 to backdate it. Marriage Allowance can be claimed through the personal tax account, on the GOV.UK website, or by telephone to HMRC.

Bank Services: Internet

Chi Onwurah: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the timetable is for the implementation of the Open Banking Standard.

Stephen Barclay: Open Banking standards which enable third party interactions with current accounts will be implemented from early 2018.

Electronic Commerce

Chi Onwurah: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of protecting customers who wish to use payment initiation services under the revised Payment Services Directive in the event that a product they order online does not arrive or meet their expectations.

Stephen Barclay: The Government has not made an assessment of the merits of protecting customers who wish to use payment initiation services. These consumers are already protected by the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which sets out consumers' rights regarding the arrival and condition of goods and services, and apply regardless of the method of payment used.There are separate existing protections that apply to consumers who order a product online but don't recieve it or are dissatisfied in the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

Students: Taxation

Wes Streeting: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total tax revenue collected from students at colleges and universities in the UK who are working full or part-time during their studies during the (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2015-16 tax year.

Wes Streeting: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of students at college and university who are liable for income taxation in the UK.

Mel Stride: HM Revenue and Customs does not collect information on whether an individual is attending a college or university as it does not affect the amount of tax due. It is therefore not possible to provide the estimates requested.

Bank Services

Owen Smith: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to promote the availability of basic bank accounts.

Stephen Barclay: Under the Payment Accounts Regulations 2015, the nine largest personal current account providers in the UK have been legally required to offer fee-free basic bank accounts to customers who do not have a bank account or who are ineligible for a bank’s standard current account. The Financial Conduct Authority is the body responsible for monitoring and enforcing firms’ compliance with these requirements. The Money Advice Service has a duty under the Regulations to endeavour to raise awareness among consumers about the availability, pricing and accessibility of basic bank accounts. The Government continues to monitor firms’ wider commitments on basic bank accounts, including that the accounts should be visible to potential customers alongside other personal current accounts, and that applications for basic bank accounts can be accepted through the same channels the firm uses for other personal current accounts. Firms also report data on basic bank accounts to the Treasury. The first publication of this data, in December 2016, showed that nearly half a million people had opened a new fee-free basic bank account in the first half of 2016. The publication, and further information on basic bank accounts, is available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/576033/Basic_bank_account_2016_dec_final.pdf.

Apprentices

Stephen Metcalfe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the effect of public investment in skills on the number of young people taking up apprenticeships since 2010.

Andrew Jones: Treasury ministers have engaged on a regular basis with the Secretary of State for Education to monitor the Government’s public investment in skills, and the impact it has had on young people taking apprenticeships. We will have doubled spending on apprenticeships in the decade to 2020, which will allow us to achieve 3m apprenticeship starts in England by 2020 and give people the best start to their careers. In 2015-16 56% of all apprenticeship starts came from those aged under 25.

EU Budget

Mr Philip Hollobone: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the estimated net UK financial contribution to the EU will be in 2018-19.

Elizabeth Truss: The Office for Budget Responsibility’s March 2017 forecast for the UK’s gross contribution in 2018-19 was £16.0 billion. They will update the forecast in November 2017. The Office for Budget Responsibility does not provide a forecast for net UK contributions to EU budgets; they do provide a forecast of funds to be received by UK government bodies to administer (£5.6bn in 2018-19 in the March 2017 forecast) although this does not include receipts directly received by the private sector from the EU.

Mortgages: Interest Rates

Darren Jones: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential effect of an increase in the bank rate on the number of households subject to eviction.

Stephen Barclay: As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Treasury's practice to provide details of these discussions. The Financial Conduct Authority has put in place regulations protecting borrowers, including a requirement that lenders should deal fairly with customers in payment difficulties. Lenders are also required to conduct an interest-rate ‘stress test’ on all new mortgages. This insures against the risk of a significant increase in the number of indebted households in the case of an interest rate rise.

Bank Services: Rural Areas

Jamie Stone: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to ensure rural and remote communities have access to local bank branches.

Stephen Barclay: The Government recognises the need to support local communities adapt to changes to banking, including when branches close. The Access to Banking Standard commits banks to communicate with and assist customers when a branch closes. And since January, 99% of personal and 75% of business customers are able to bank at one of Post Office’s 11,600 branches nationwide. Ultimately, decisions on the opening and closing of individual bank branches are a commercial decision for the banks involved.

Productivity

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans the Government has to increase productivity.

Andrew Jones: Promoting productivity growth in the UK is at the forefront of the Government’s agenda. The Government is investing £23bn in a National Productivity Investment Fund targeted at building economic infrastructure and boosting innovation. We are also reforming technical education in the UK, providing over £0.5bn in additional investment every year to raise standards.

Public Sector: Pay

Tracy Brabin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what equality impact assessment his Department has undertaken on the effect of the public sector pay cap.

Elizabeth Truss: In line with their duties under equalities legislation, Ministers fully consider equalities impacts and implications when setting the Government’s pay policy. It is for Departments to consider the equalities impacts of their proposals on workforce strategy and pay. The remit of the Pay Review Bodies continues to be to provide evidence based advice on pay. We will consider their recommendations when they report from Spring 2018. Our assessment of public sector pay shows that wages in the public sector are roughly equivalent to those in the private sector, and, in addition, public sector workers benefit from more generous pensions.

Brexit

Mr Peter Bone: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what funding his Department is providing to other government departments to make preparations in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Elizabeth Truss: The Government has worked up plans for a range of scenarios, including leaving the EU without a deal. The Treasury has already committed over £250 million of additional spending in 2017-18 to enable departments to prepare effectively for all eventualities.

Emergency Services: Scotland

Patrick Grady: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to change VAT charges for Scotland's police and fire and rescue services.

Mel Stride: The Scottish government was aware that Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service would not be entitled to recover VAT when they decided to restructure their services into national bodies in 2012. The Scottish Government considered this information at the time, but decided to proceed with the restructuring because the estimated financial savings outweighed the costs.

Productivity

Faisal Rashid: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to improve regional productivity.

Andrew Jones: Increasing the productivity of every region in the UK is very important to the Government. We are committed to building a more balanced economy, by devolving powers and investing in every region.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Immigration

Gerard Killen: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what the Government's policy is on ensuring non-EU nationals who are partners of UK nationals and became resident in the UK under EU freedom of movement laws can continue to live in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: As the Prime Minister has set out, we want to ensure that families who have built their lives together in the EU and UK are able to stay together. The Government’s policy paper “Safeguarding the position of EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU” sets out how it proposes to safeguard the position of EU citizens and their family members who are currently living in the UK under the Free Movement Directive (2004/38/EC) once we leave the EU.

Brexit

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, when he plans to publish the impact assessments of the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: The Department for Exiting the European Union, working with officials across Government, are in the process of carrying out a programme of rigorous and extensive analytical work that will contribute to our exit negotiations with the EU, to define our future partnership with the EU, and to inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks.The Department will continue to balance our commitment to transparency with the need to protect information which could undermine the UK’s ability to negotiate the best deal for the UK. Parliament has voted and agrees with this, as referenced in the vote of 7 December 2016.https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2016-12-07/debates/CA09D9B2-9634-41C8-8979-8B9CD82DBB8F/TheGovernmentSPlanForBrexit

Vauxhall Motors: Import Duties

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will ensure that Vauxhall Ellesmere Port has the same trade arrangement for (a) tariff and (b) non-tariff barriers after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: The UK is the third largest European car producer with its competitiveness underpinned by using a highly integrated European supply chain to support just-in-time production. We want British companies, including automotive, to have the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European neighbours.Negotiating a comprehensive free trade agreement with the EU, greater in scope than any such agreement before, is a priority for the Government as we leave the EU. We want tariff-free trade with Europe, and for cross-border trade to be as frictionless as possible. The UK starts from a unique position – where our rules and regulations are the same as the EU, and where we share a commitment to high regulatory standards. The terms of our future trading relationship with the EU are a matter for the negotiation, however we are confident that a future partnership between the UK and the EU is in the interest of both sides, so we approach the negotiations anticipating success.

Trade Agreements

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the oral contribution of 17 October 2017, Official Report, column 739, whether the Government's undertaking that there will be a parliamentary vote on any withdrawal deal negotiated with the EU27 encompasses there being such a vote on how to proceed in the event that no deal is achieved.

Mr Steve Baker: The Prime Minister has been consistently clear that Parliament will be fully involved in helping to shape the UK's future as we leave the European Union, whatever the outcome.The Government has committed to both Houses of Parliament having a vote on the final agreement before it is concluded. We are focused on getting a good outcome and a deal that Parliament will want to support.The Government is clear, however, that the British people voted to leave the EU and we will deliver on their instruction.

Department for International Trade

Foreign Investment in UK

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the average salary was of new jobs created as a result of foreign direct investment into the UK in each of the last seven years.

Mark Garnier: It is not a requirement for companies to supply this information as part of their investment.

Common Customs Tariffs

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the proposals in the letter dated 26 September 2017 from the US Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation, along with his Argentinian, Brazilian, Canadian, New Zealand, Thai and Uruguayan equivalents sent to their EU and UK equivalents on the EU allocation of tariff rate quotas after the UK leaves the EU.

Greg Hands: The UK wants to ensure a smooth transition in the World Trade Organization (WTO) which minimises disruption to our trading relationships. We are, and will continue, to discuss our proposals on tariff rate quotas, and other matters, extensively with our partners in the WTO over the coming period.

Trade Agreements

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if the Government will clarify how it intends to negotiate and sign new trade deals while operating an interim customs arrangement with the EU.

Greg Hands: I refer the hon Member for Streatham to the answer I gave him on 20 October, UIN: 107186.

Trade Agreements

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how he plans to ensure bilateral cumulation in rules of origin exist as part of plans to replicate existing EU third-party trade agreements.

Greg Hands: We are currently working with existing EU trading partners to ensure that where preferential trading agreements are in place, arrangements are made that will allow maximum possible continuity in the effect of these agreements, when the UK leaves the EU. This is a technical exercise to ensure continuity in existing trading arrangements.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

World Athletics Championships

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the cost to the public purse was of converting the London Stadium to and from an athletics venue for the 2017 IAAF World Championships.

Matt Hancock: The London Stadium is owned and managed by E20 Stadium LLP, a joint venture between the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) and Newham Council. E20 Stadium LLP is responsible for the costs of the seat moves which have previously been disclosed as being estimated at circa £8 million a year. The Mayor of London, to whom the LLDC is directly accountable, has launched an investigation into the costs and operation of the London Stadium. Further information on the stadium costs associated with hosting this year's IAAF World Championships will be available on publication of this investigation’s report by the Mayor and also as part of the standard LLDC and Greater London Authority reporting cycles.

Broadband

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what percentage of UK premises experience broadband download speeds of less than (a) 1MB/s, (b) 2MB/s, (c) 5MB/s and (d) 10 MB/s.

Matt Hancock: The Department does not hold this level of information. Think Broadband (http://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/uk) publish up-to-date information on the percentage of premises receiving below 2 and 10 MB/s. These are currently reported as follows:0.76% of UK premises experience download speeds below 2Mbps.2.81% of UK premises experience download speeds of less than 10Mbps.

National Lottery: Grants

Ian C. Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the equity of regional and national trends in the award of National Lottery grants over the last three years.

Tracey Crouch: National Lottery good cause money is allocated by expert bodies at arm's length from Government, taking account of their own priorities and the need for equitable distribution. Policy directions are set by DCMS or the devolved administrations as relevant. The Big Lottery Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England, Sport England and British Film Institute are all required to take equality of access into account in developing programmes and considering grant allocations. This requirement does not apply to UK Sport's as their funding targets elite athletes. Each distributor takes account of a variety of considerations including geographical spread of funding, deprivation data and participation rates when determining priorities and allocating budget. Distributors run specific programmes designed to encourage applications from less well-represented areas. Information on projects in receipt of a Lottery award can be found on the National Lottery Grants Database at the following link: http://www.lottery.culture.gov.uk and from Lottery Distributors' own websites. The grants database can be sorted on a national, regional, local authority and constituency level.

Betting Shops: Gaming Machines

Ian C. Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to publish the recommendations on fixed-odds betting terminals of the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board and the Gambling Commission.

Tracey Crouch: We hope to make an announcement on the Government’s Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures shortly.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Official Hospitality

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Government's publication Ministerial hospitality, 1 April to 30 June 2017, published on 13 October 2017, whether (a) representatives or employees of the firm which offered that hospitality and (b) lobbyists or contractors of those firms were present at those events.

Matt Hancock: Ministers support a large number of events in the DCMS sectors and meet many representatives from those sectors, the specific attendees at events attended to by ministers is not centrally held.

Young People

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to publish the Government's youth policy statement.

Tracey Crouch: DCMS conducted a series of regional workshops in March and April to discuss current issues for youth policy with representatives from the youth sector, local authorities and young people. The evidence gathered is being used by the Office for Civil Society across its youth policy work. Any announcement about youth policy will be made in due course.

Performing Arts: Parental Leave

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the potential benefits to the creative industries of extending shared parental leave to freelance workers.

Matt Hancock: Freelancers form a vital part of the UK workforce, particularly for the creative industries. The Secretary of State and her ministers have regular discussions on a number of issues that impact the creative industries, including working practices. Self-employed people have greater flexibility over their working hours, including when they take time off work.

Department of Health

Breast Cancer: Lancashire

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many breast screening appointments were provided by (a) Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, (b) South Lancashire Breast Screening Service, (c) East Lancashire Breast Screening Service and (d) North Lancashire and South Cumbria Breast Screening Service in 2016; how many of those appointments were missed; and which venues were used by each of those services to provide those appointments.

Steve Brine: Data for the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trusts is not available as this Trust does not offer screening appointments for NHS Breast Screening Programme. Figures for uptake and attendance for screening published by NHS Digital for the 2015/16 screening year (1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016) for each of the services are detailed in the table below:Screening ServiceUptake of screening (first and all routine invitations)Number of clients who attended screening (age 50-70)East Lancashire67.5%14,720South Lancashire71.6%21,527North Lancashire and South Cumbria71.0%24,086 Data on appointments missed are not available in the format requested. The attached tables list, for each screening service, the address of the mobile or static site where screening took place during 2015/16 and the time period that screening was performed at that site. Further information can be accessed by manipulating the tool at:http://digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB23376



PQ106872 attached table
(PDF Document, 196.02 KB)

Incontinence: West Lancashire

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps have been taken by (a) Greater Preston, (b) Blackburn with Darwin, (c) West Lancashire and (d) West Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to monitor the number of people who are offered referral for appropriate specialised management after receiving initial management for faecal incontinence; and how many people were offered referral for appropriate specialised management after receiving initial management for faecal incontinence by each CCG in each quarter between 1 March 2014 and 30 September 2017.

Steve Brine: This information is not collected centrally.

Ambulance Services: North West

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2017 to Question 59987, what steps have been taken related to the provision of ambulance services as part of NHS planning arrangements for winter 2017-18 and operational resilience planning to ensure the health and social care system is adequately prepared to cope with winter pressures.

Mr Philip Dunne: Every local system is undertaking detailed planning for winter to meet the significant pressures that they will face, both on the ambulance service and in other parts of the system. NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with all systems in a targeted way to ensure comprehensive plans are in place.

Suicide: North West

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaths of patients in the care of each mental health NHS trust in the North West were attributed to suicide during each month between 1 October 2016 and 30 September 2017; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce the level of death by suicide among patients undergoing treatment for mental health problems.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The data requested is not held centrally. The Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, published in 2012, included a key area for action to address suicide in high risk groups, including people in contact with mental health services. The Government published an updated strategy in January 2017 which set out how we are strengthening delivery of the strategy’s key areas for action. The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, published in February 2016 committed £25 million for suicide prevention from 2018/19 to 2020/21 to achieve a 10% reduction in suicides by 2020/21.



PQ107131 attached doc.
(PDF Document, 990.73 KB)

Innovative Medicines and Medical Technology Review

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to implement the recommendations of the Accelerated Access Review, published on 24 October 2016.

Steve Brine: The Government and its partners are carefully considering the recommendations in the Accelerated Access Review. A response will be published shortly, where we will outline plans for improving patient access to transformative treatments at a price the National Health Service can afford.

General Practitioners: Insurance

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to launch a scheme to help GPs with indemnity payments; whether that scheme will be targeted at new entrants to the profession; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: As my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health said in a Written Ministerial Statement on 12 October 2017, Official Report, column 28WS, the Department is planning, subject to examination of relevant issues, the development of a state-backed indemnity scheme for general practice in England.​ Any new scheme should meet the needs of current and future general practitioners (GPs), be in the interest of patients, and represent value for money for taxpayers. Transfer of historic liabilities from Medical Defence Organisations (MDOs) to a new scheme would be dependent on satisfactory negotiation with the MDOs. The Department will set up a stakeholder group and arrange a first roundtable next month with the Royal College of General Practitioners, the British Medical Association and other GP representatives to gather views from general practice and agree how best to engage with the sector going forward.

Hospital Beds

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of delayed transfer of care to avoid bed shortages at hospitals in winter 2017.

Mr Philip Dunne: The National Health Service has comprehensive plans for winter, with preparations starting earlier than ever before. This included a thorough assessment by NHS England of winter readiness of each system across the country. This Government has provided an additional £2 billion of funding over three years (£1 billion in 2017/18) to be spent on meeting adult social care needs generally; stabilising the social care market; and reducing pressure on the NHS, including delayed transfers of care. This, alongside an extra £100 million for accident and emergency departments this year will support the safe and timely flow of patients through hospitals this winter. NHS England publishes monthly data on the number of delayed transfers of care. The latest data is for August 2017 and is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/delayed-transfers-of-care/

Patients: Transport

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people aged over 65 have adequate transport to and from routine hospital appointments.

Steve Brine: Non-emergency patient transport services (PTS) are available for patients that meet certain criteria, including but not limited to those who are aged over 65 and satisfy one or more of the criteria outlined in the document Eligibility Criteria for Patient Transport Services. A patient’s eligibility for PTS should be determined either by a healthcare professional or by non-clinically qualified staff who are both clinically supervised and/or working within locally agreed protocols or guidelines, and employed by the National Health Service or working under contract for the NHS.

Nurses: Training

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the removal of the nursing bursary on the number of people entering mental health nurse training in the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of the potential effect of that removal in the next five years.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Data for mental health nursing places for 2017/18 academic year which commenced in September are not currently available. As of 15 September, according to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) data1 the number of applicants who have confirmed places to study pre-registration nursing and midwifery in England from August 2017 is 21,340. This UCAS data includes mental health nursing but data for each individual branch of nursing is not currently available. This is similar to the numbers at the same stage in 2014 and 2015. In order to increase the future supply of registered nurses, including mental health nurses, additional clinical placement funding was announced by the Department in August and October 2017. This enables around 5,000 more nursing students to enter training each year to 2020/21, representing a 25% increase over the number of nursing students in 2016/17. Going forward, Health Education England will monitor the number of nurse and allied health professionals applications to undergraduate courses to ensure sufficient supply of the future National Health Service workforce. Note:1https://www.ucas.com/file/125701/download?token=ug8692Qp

Mental Health Services: Hospital Beds

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many admissions were made to acute psychiatric in-patient beds in England for each year from 2012-13 to 2016-17.

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of admissions to acute psychiatric inpatient units were made under the Mental Health Act 1983 in England in each year from 2012-13 to 2016-17.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The information available is not held in the format requested.

Junior Doctors: Training

Mr Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of a junior doctor's training.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Personal Social Services Research Unit at the University of Kent estimates within their report ‘Unit Costs of Health and Social Care 2016’, published December 2016, that the average cost in 2015/16 of training a junior doctor up to specialty registrar is £383,563. This figure is the total cost of training including costs to the public purse and the individual.

Mental Health Services: Hospital Beds

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average occupancy rate was for acute psychiatric inpatient beds in England in each year from 2012-13 to 2016-17.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Official statistics for occupancy rates for acute psychiatric inpatient beds are published quarterly through the KH03 bed availability and occupancy collection. The national time series for occupancy rates since 2010/11 is published here:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/04/Beds-Timeseries-2010-11-onwards-Q1-2017-18-44517.xls

Health Services: York

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of (a) total and (b) per capita spending on (i) health and (ii) mental health in England in spent in York; and where York is ranked in England for such spending.

Jackie Doyle-Price: General clinical commissioning group (CCG) spend on health is published by NHS England via the link below, for the 2016/17 Q4 report on page 7.https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/financial-performance-reports/Spend per head is not available, and CCGs are not ranked on spend per head. CCG spend does not cover all health spend, it excludes directly commissioned Primary Care, Specialised Commissioning and other services directly commissioned by NHS England. The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health dashboard publishes the spend on mental health for 2016/17. The York Clinical Commissioning Group detail and totals can be viewed. The dashboard does not include spend per capita. The dashboard can be viewed here:https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/taskforce/imp/mh-dashboard/

Mental Health Services: Staff

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to monitor progress on achieving the target of increasing the size of the mental health workforce by 2020-21.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, led by NHS England, sets out an ambitious agenda to transform mental health services by 2020/21. To support the delivery of the Five Year Forward View, Health Education England published Stepping Forward to 2020/21: Mental Health Workforce Plan for England in July 2017 which sets out the steps that will be taken to achieve the additional workforce numbers required to deliver the Five Year Forward View. Implementation of the Workforce Plan is being led by Health Education England through their Mental Health Workforce Implementation Board. The Board is working with the arm’s length bodies and the Department to develop a series of metrics that can be used to monitor progress against the published plan.

Mental Health Services: Lancashire

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what extra resources the Government has given to CAMHS in Lancashire since the Manchester area attack of 22 May 2017.

Jackie Doyle-Price: NHS England has made £1 million available to the Manchester area to help with the recovery phase. This Government is determined that those affected receive evidence based and proactive mental health care dependent upon their need.

General Practitioners: Greater London

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent estimate he has made of the GP to patient ratio for (a) Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group and (b) other clinical commissioning groups in London; and if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of those GP to patient ratios.

Steve Brine: The requested information is contained in the table below. There is no recommended ratio of general practitioners (GPs) to patients, recognising the differing needs of the registered patients of GP practices. GP practices plan and utilise their workforce to best meet the needs of their patients. Patients per GPNHS Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)1,434NHS Barking and Dagenham CCG1,787NHS Barnet CCG1,448NHS Bexley CCG1,528NHS Brent CCG1,478NHS Bromley CCG1,472NHS Camden CCG1,143NHS City and Hackney CCG1,286NHS Croydon CCG1,510NHS Ealing CCG1,610NHS Greenwich CCG1,622NHS Hounslow CCG1,535NHS Hammersmith and Fulham CCG1,401NHS Haringey CCG1,458NHS Harrow CCG1,415NHS Havering CCG1,677NHS Hillingdon CCG1,760NHS Islington CCG1,414NHS Kingston CCG1,432NHS Lambeth CCG1,244NHS Lewisham CCG1,543NHS Merton CCG1,494NHS Newham CCG1,609NHS Redbridge CCG1,728NHS Richmond CCG1,424NHS Southwark CCG1,631NHS Sutton CCG1,457NHS Tower Hamlets CCG1,219NHS Waltham Forest CCG1,648NHS Wandsworth CCG1,317NHS West London CCG1,462NHS Central London (Westminster) CCG1,382 Source: NHS Digital

General Practitioners: Denton and Reddish

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time for a GP appointment was in Denton and Reddish constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

Steve Brine: The requested information is not held centrally. Information on the average waiting time for general practitioner (GP) appointments at local and national level is not collected or held centrally. The GP Patient Survey, published by NHS England, asks respondents how long it took for them to see a GP or a nurse after contacting their practice. The full set of survey releases can be found here:https://gp-patient.co.uk/surveys-and-reportsThe Government is committed to improving access to general practice. By 2020, everyone will have access to routine evening and weekend appointments.

Orkambi

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department is giving to promote further negotiations between NICE, NHS England and the drug manufacturer Vertex on access to Orkambi for people with cystic fibrosis.

Steve Brine: It is for Vertex, NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to enter into negotiations on this matter and we are pleased to note that discussions are on-going to explore possible options for making Orkambi available to National Health Service patients.

Transplant Surgery: Stem Cells

Jared O'Mara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the care needs of stem cell transplant patients beyond the first 100 days of recovery.

Jackie Doyle-Price: NHS England is responsible for commissioning and funding the transplant related care which takes place 30 days before transplant and continues until 100 days post-transplant. After 100 days post-transplant, commissioning responsibility for the routine follow-up of patients switches from NHS England to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), as outlined in the Manual. The Manual for Prescribed Specialised Services describes which elements of specialised services are commissioned by NHS England and which are commissioned by CCGs is available at:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/prescribed-specialised-services-manual-2.pdfIn the event that transplant patients experience serious complications post-transplant, elements of their care would likely continue to be planned, organised and funded by NHS England specialised commissioning. For example, if a patient requires Extracorporeal Photophersis which is a treatment for acute and chronic graft versus host disease following transplantation, NHS England commissions this care post-transplant. NHS England’s work in supporting the roll out of the Recovery Package for cancer patients, including those who received blood and marrow transplants, helps ensure patients have more personal care and support from the point they are diagnosed and once treatment ends. For patients this means working with their care team to develop a comprehensive plan outlining not only their physical needs, but also additional support, such as help at home or financial advice. By 2020 NHS England wants all cancer patients to have access to the Recovery Package.

Transplant Surgery: Stem Cells

Jared O'Mara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information is available on support and self-help groups for patients recovering from a stem cell transplant.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Post-transplant care for patients is important. NHS England’s Specialised Commissioning team and Clinical Reference Group for blood and marrow transplants (BMT) are undertaking work mapping care post-day 100 days. There are no current plans to review the responsibilities of services commissioned by NHS England and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) for BMT at this time, NHS England will be assessing BMT in more detail over the next 18 months and will take the opportunity to further support improved pathway planning and commissioning of services that it and CCGs fund. NHS England’s work in supporting the roll out of the Recovery Package for cancer patients, including those who received BMT, helps ensure patients have more personal care and support from the point they are diagnosed and once treatment ends. For patients this means working with their care team to develop a comprehensive plan outlining not only their physical needs, but also additional support, such as help at home or financial advice. By 2020 NHS England wants all cancer patients to have access to the Recovery Package. Information about specific support or self-help groups available for patients recovering from a stem cell transplant is not directly held by the Department or NHS England. However, we would expect treating clinicians/ clinical teams to provide any relevant information to their patients during the course of the treatment or upon discharge.

Transplant Surgery: Stem Cells

Jared O'Mara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of care and support that stem cell transplant patients are able to access after leaving hospital.

Jackie Doyle-Price: NHS England is responsible for commissioning and funding the transplant related care which takes place 30 days before transplant and continues until 100 days post-transplant. After 100 days post-transplant, commissioning responsibility for the routine follow-up of patients switches from NHS England to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), as outlined in the Manual. The Manual for Prescribed Specialised Services describes which elements of specialised services are commissioned by NHS England and which are commissioned by CCGs:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/prescribed-specialised-services-manual-2.pdfIn the event that transplant patients experience serious complications post-transplant, elements of their care would likely continue to be planned, organised and funded by NHS England specialised commissioning. For example, if a patient requires Extracorporeal Photophersis which is a treatment for acute and chronic graft versus host disease following transplantation, NHS England commissions this care post-transplant. NHS England’s work in supporting the roll out of the Recovery Package for cancer patients, including those who received blood and marrow transplants, helps ensure patients have more personal care and support from the point they are diagnosed and once treatment ends. For patients this means working with their care team to develop a comprehensive plan outlining not only their physical needs, but also additional support, such as help at home or financial advice. By 2020 NHS England wants all cancer patients to have access to the Recovery Package.

Vaccination

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons the Cost-Effectiveness Methodology for Immunisation Programmes and Procurements working group's report into vaccine cost effectiveness has not been published.

Steve Brine: The Cost Effectiveness Methodology for Immunisation Policy and Procurement (CEMIPP) report is technically complex with potential implications that could extend beyond immunisation. This report has been referred to the Appraisal Alignment Working Group (AAWG) for its analytical view. It is important not to pre-empt AAWG’s considerations but to give them the time they need to consider the CEMIPP report, reflect on subsequent research, and to report back to ministers on the analytical elements of the report. The AAWG is due to report back to ministers later in the year.

Mental Illness: Older People

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many over-65s in (a) Southampton, (b) Portsmouth and (c) England have a long-term mental health condition.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The information is not collected in the format requested. NHS Digital’s Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (2014), published in September 2016, provides a national percentage of people in selected age groups assessed as having a specified mental disorder but does not specify long term mental health conditions as a disorder or set of disorders. Further information is available at: http://content.digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB21748

Chronic Illnesses

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how his Department defines a long-term health condition.

Steve Brine: A long-term health condition (LTC) can be defined as a condition that cannot be cured but can be managed through the use of medication and/or therapy. This is how LTC are defined by NHS Choices; further information can be found here:www.nhs.uk/Livewell/workplacehealth/Documents/ChronicConds_LineManagers_Factsheet_A4.pdf

Chronic Illnesses: Older People

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many over-65s in (a) Southampton, (b) Portsmouth and (c) England have a long-term health condition.

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many over-65s in (a) Southampton, (b) Portsmouth and (c) England have a long-term physical health condition.

Steve Brine: Data is not available in the format requested. Over 15 million children, adults and older people in England live with at least one long-term condition, such as diabetes, epilepsy or asthma.

Samaritans: Telephone Services

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to meet the Government's commitment to provide funding for the Samaritans' helpline until the end of the current Parliament.

Jackie Doyle-Price: As set out in the Prime Minister’s speech of 7 May, the Government has committed to funding the Samaritans helpline up to 2022. We are in discussion with the Samaritans about taking this forward.

Health Services: Children

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what regulations govern routine (a) health visits and (b) school nursing services for children of (i) failed asylum seekers and (ii) undocumented migrants.

Mr Philip Dunne: The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 (the Charging Regulations) came into force on 6 April 2015 and apply to all courses of treatment commenced on or after that date. The Regulations have subsequently been amended, most recently on 23 October 2017 by the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) (Amendment) Regulations.Any person or organisations providing relevant services under the regulations, will be subject to a requirement to make and recover charges from overseas visitors where no exemption applies. Relevant services means those that are provided, or whose provision is arranged, under the NHS Act 2006, but the Charging Regulations exclude certain services from the definition of “relevant services” such as primary medical care services or equivalent services, including school nursing services and health visiting.The Charging Regulations also provide that failed asylum seekers, and their dependants, are exempt from charging under the Charging Regulations if they are receiving support under section 4(2) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 or under Part 1 (care and support) of the Care Act 2014 or section 35 or 36 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, by the provision of accommodation. Finally, under the Charging Regulations, undocumented migrants and their dependants would be subject to charges unless otherwise exempt. Particularly vulnerable groups are exempt from charges and this may be relevant in some cases to undocumented migrants; for example, if they are victims of modern slavery or if they are receiving treatment for relevant services which are exempt from charges such as services provided for the treatment of a condition caused by torture or female genital mutilation.

Health Services: Fees and charges

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will undertake an impact assessment of his Department's policy on upfront charging for NHS services.

Mr Philip Dunne: Upfront charging of overseas visitors for non-urgent or immediately necessary care has been recommended best practice by the Department for several years, including in published national charging guidance. Identified income from charging overseas visitors for NHS services was £290 million in 2015/16 and £358 million in 2016/17. Following a public consultation on the proposed amendments to the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 (the Charging Regulations) that ran from December 2015 to March 2016, the Government set out in its response to that consultation in February 2017 that it intended to amend the existing Charging Regulations and included a commitment that all non-urgent secondary care services provided to an overseas visitor should be charged upfront and in full, unless otherwise exempt. During the decision-making process the Government carefully considered the impact the proposed changes in all National Health Service out-of-hospital settings may have. The regulations providing for these changes were introduced on 19 July alongside a published impact assessment that estimated that the net income per annum as a result of the new regulations would be up to £40 million per year. This included the impact of upfront charging, the implementation of which we will keep under review.

General Practitioners: Staff

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many full-time-equivalent GP clinical staff there were in (a) Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group, (b) NHS England North (Cumbria and North East) and (c) England in 2016-17.

Steve Brine: The latest data published on general practitioner (GP) workforce is March 2017. This shows the number of full-time-equivalent GP clinical staff in Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS North (Cumbria and North East) and England. Full time equivalent GP clinical staff*Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group149NHS England North (Cumbria and North East)1,679England33,921Note:*Figures contain estimates for the 5.6% of practices that did not provide fully valid GP data.Source: NHS Digital https://digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB30044

Blood: Contamination

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to his Department's paper, Infected Blood: Government response to consultancy on special category mechanism and other support in England, published on 28 September 2017, what steps he is taking to guarantee that people affected by the scandal will not be subject to reductions in their discretionary support (a) before April 2018 and (b) for the rest of the Spending Review period.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Discretionary and non-discretionary support will continue at the same level to all beneficiaries who consented to their data being transferred to the new scheme until the end of the financial year. As set out in the recent consultation response, beneficiaries will then receive higher non-discretionary annual payments for the 2018-19 financial year. To ensure discretionary support in the new, single, scheme is balanced, consistent and fair to all beneficiaries, the scheme administrator will conduct a review of all on-going discretionary payments such as income top ups.

General Practitioners: Sunderland

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many full-time-equivalent clinical staff there were in each GP practice in Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group in 2016-17.

Steve Brine: The latest data published on general practitioner (GP) workforce is March 2017. The attached table shows the number of full time-equivalent staff (GPs and nurses) for each practice in Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group.



PQ108728 attached table
(Word Document, 21.78 KB)

Thyroid Gland

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the NHS system for diagnosing and treating thyroid-related conditions.

Steve Brine: Treatments for thyroid conditions are generally commissioned by clinical commissioning groups and we would expect general practitioners to use their professional judgement when diagnosing patients. There is general information on services for thyroid conditions available on NHS Choices. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has guidance documents published on each of the thyroid disorders. These can be found via the following link: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/conditions-and-diseases/diabetes-and-other-endocrinal--nutritional-and-metabolic-conditions/thyroid-disorders

Women and Equalities

Developing Countries: Females

Jo Stevens: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what plans her Department has to help the UK make progress towards meeting UN Sustainable Development Goal 5.5.

Anne Milton: The Government was at the forefront of negotiating the Sustainable Development Goals and is committed to their implementation in the UK.We have set up a £5 million fund to mark the centenary of voting rights for women in 2018. The fund will support projects that raise awareness of this milestone and that also celebrate our diverse political system.Furthermore, we are supporting the work of the Hampton Alexander Review and the Women’s Business Council which foster the talent of women within the workforce.In 2016-2017, 48.5% of new public appointments were women which is the highest number of female appointments in the last decade.

LGBT People: Public Sector

Gerard Killen: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October 2017 to Question 901069, whether the Government has plans to develop and implement best practice guidelines to ensure local providers account for sexual-gender identity within service provision.

Nick Gibb: In 2015, the Government published guidance for employers and service providers on how to specifically support and include transgender people at work. This helps them to meet their obligations under the Equality Act 2010. We also recently issued instructions to offender management services to improve the treatment and management of transgender offenders. The new guidelines state that all transgender prisoners must be allowed to express the gender with which they identify. Our National lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Survey has recently closed and we will use the data we collected from this to help to identify areas that service provision needs to improve for LGBT people.

Gender Recognition Act 2004

Mims Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when the consultation on changes to the Gender Recognition Act 2004 will begin.

Nick Gibb: We announced on 23 July that we will be consulting on changes to the Gender Recognition Act. We are currently considering what the content of the consultation will be and we will make an announcement shortly.